Jerry L. Burgess

Jerry L. Burgess is an Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Johns Hopkins University and Director of the Environmental Science and Studies Program. His interdisciplinary research integrates geology, ecology, and soil science to study tectonics, metamorphic petrology, forest ecology, and conservation challenges.

Geological investigations focus on Appalachian orogenic processes, particularly metamorphic histories of Newfoundland, Vermont, and North Carolina formations. Ecological research examines edaphic relationships in serpentine ecosystems, forest carbon sequestration, and vegetation dynamics under anthropogenic pressure. Current projects address conservation threats to specialized ecosystems and tectonic evolution of the Appalachians.

Fieldwork spans serpentine barrens of the Mid-Atlantic, Appalachian formations, and international collaborations.