Biography

Dr. Janelle Burke is a Professor of Biology and currently serves as Interim Chair of the Dept. of Earth, Environment and Equity (E3). Trained as a botanist, her research expertise is in plant evolution and diversity. She has described 14 new species of plants, and has two plant species named in her honor: Coccloba burkeae and Miconia burkeae. At Howard University, she has served in a leadership role to develop and grow the Environmental Studies and Science program, which was launched in 2016. She has also been instrumental in securing multiple grants and partnerships to support this program and its associated student opportunities. She has a passion for developing innovative, interdisciplinary curricula that prepare HBCU students for leadership roles in environmental and sustainability careers.