Education
Ph.D., The Ohio State University, 1992
M.S., Iowa State University, 1984
B.S., Iowa State University, 1981

Awards/Special Recognition

• Patriotic Employer, Office of the Secretary of the Department of Defense, 2015
• Deans Citation for Extraordinary Contributions, Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2013
• Women in Agronomy Mentoring Award, ASA-CSSA-SSSA, 2012
• USDA Excellence in University Teaching Award for the Midwest Region, 2011
• Distinguished Undergraduate Teacher Award, Iowa State University, 2010
• Soil Science Resident Education Award, Soil Science Society of America, 2009
• Agronomy Resident Education Award, American Society of Agronomy, 2008
• University Advising Award, Iowa State University, 2007
• Pioneer Hi-Bred Professor of Agronomy 2004-2007
• Fellow, Iowa Academy of Science, 2005
• Outstanding Adviser in the College of Agriculture, 2004

Teaching Responsibilities
ENSCI/ENV S 250. Environmental Geography
AGRON/ENV S 260. Soils & Environmental Quality
AGRON/ENSCI 360. Environmental Soil Science
AGRON/ENSCI 463. Soil Formation & Landscape Relationships
AGRON/ENSCI 496A. Soils, Crops & Water of Costa Rica
Guest lectures in Global Resource Systems courses

Global Engagement
Dr. Burras is globally engaged with teaching, research, and outreach. His best-known travel course is “Soils, Crops, & Water of Costa Rica,” which is offered each spring semester during spring break. His research examines soil morphology, mapping and productivity. Dr. Burras has current projects in Uganda, Tanzania, and China related to his discipline of soils.