Mr. Burke is responsible for varied activities and programs with which the North Carolina Biotechnology Center – a private, non-profit corporation established in 1984 as the world’s first targeted initiative for biotechnology development – addresses strategic, governmental, policy, societal, and international issues.
Mr. Burke has been an active participant in the national and international biotechnology communities since the mid-1980’s. He speaks frequently throughout the United States and internationally on biotechnology development, with particular attention to:
- The factors, strategies, and issues shaping effective biotechnology communities.
- The specific requirements of regional biotechnology development and gain.
- The international and cultural imperatives of biotechnology development.
- The policies and issues attendant to forest biotechnology and biofuels.
Among recent key activities are: development of the Center’s nationally unique program to strengthen niche biotechnology development through five regional offices across North Carolina, and development of the non-profit Biofuels Center of North Carolina as well as of the State of North Carolina’s Strategic Plan for Biofuels Leadership.
Mr. Burke serves as Chairman of the Biofuels Center of North Carolina and served as its founding President. He is a board member of the Institute of Forest Biotechnology, a private non-profit corporation addressing the scientific, industry, and societal issues of forest biotechnology worldwide; he served from 2001-2004 as its founding Chair. He also serves as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the Biotechnology Institute, a non-profit corporation working for strengthened biotechnology education nationwide. He served two terms – in 1995-96 and 1997-98 – as chair of the 100+ member Council of Biotechnology Centers of BIO, the Biotechnology Industry Organization, and served on the Council’s Board from 1993-2000. The Council is an international grouping of bioscience centers, agencies, and initiatives. He served from 1994 until June of 1999 on the Emerging Companies Section Governing Board of BIO.
Prior to joining the newly established North Carolina Biotechnology Center in 1985, Mr. Burke taught Instructional Design at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina. He has an undergraduate degree in Religion and Literature from Duke University, and a Master of Education in Instructional Design from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
