Amy Burkert

Amy L. Burkert is Vice Provost for Education at Carnegie Mellon University. She is responsible for university-wide education initiatives at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Dr. Burkert has spearheaded the development of new pathways for science students to grow intellectually and personally, especially during their undergraduate years. She helped to create new interdisciplinary options (the Bachelor of Science and Arts degree and the Science and Humanities Scholars Program); the unified major in biological sciences and psychology; the biomedical engineering minor for non-engineering students; and the minor in health care policy and management. She also helped to develop the intercollegiate bachelor's degree and master’s degree programs in computational biology.

tudent advising has always been special focus for Dr. Burkert. She has participated in the CMU-wide Advising Task Force that has done much to professionalize the role of advisors on campus. She co-chaired a faculty committee on the Second Year Experience, and partnered with faculty and staff in the development of the Big Questions project for first-year students. She has been active in outreach and expanding diversity, participating as an instructor and advisor in the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for Science and the Summer Academy of Math and Science.

Dr. Burkert pioneered new courses in biological sciences, and collaborated with MCS colleagues to create EUREKA, a first-year seminar for MCS students that combines the disciplines of biological sciences, physics, chemistry, and mathematical sciences, and has championed the use of reflective writing for science students.