SLS 11RS-269 ORIGINAL Page 1 of 4 Regular Session, 2011 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 2 BY SENATOR LONG COMMENDATIONS. Commends Dr. Virginia Burkett on being honored for her efforts in science by the National Wildlife Federation's Conservation Achievement Awards at its 75 th Anniversary Gala. A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1 To commend Dr.Virginia Burkett on being honored for her efforts in science by the National2 Wildlife Federation's Conservation Achievement Awards at its seventy-fifth3 Anniversary Gala.4 WHEREAS, Dr. Virginia Burkett, a nationally and internationally recognized leader5 in research on the impact of climate change on our natural ecosystems, will be honored in6 Washington, D.C. on April 13, 2011; and7 WHEREAS, she is the daughter of Norma Rose of Many, Louisiana, and the late8 Robert Rose; and9 WHEREAS, she attended primary and secondary schools in Biloxi, Mississippi and10 after graduation, she attended the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, 1968-11 1969, and then transferred to Northwestern State University, where she received a Bachelor12 of Science in 1973, with a major in zoology and a minor in chemistry; and13 WHEREAS, she taught biology, physics, chemistry and general science at Hickory14 Ridge High School in Natchitoches, Louisiana, for a year while continuing her education at15 Northwestern State University, where she was awarded a Master of Science in Botany in16 1975; and17 WHEREAS, Dr. Burkett earned a Ph.D., in Forestry with a minor in Applied18 SCR NO. 2 SLS 11RS-269 ORIGINAL Page 2 of 4 Statistics from the School of Forestry at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches,1 Texas, in 1996; and2 WHEREAS, Dr. Burkett is the coordinator of Global Change Science at the United3 States Geological Survey; and4 WHEREAS, she had formerly served as Chief of Forest Ecology Branch at the5 National Wetlands Research Center and subsequently as Associate Regional Chief Biologist6 for the United State Geological Survey Central Region; and7 WHEREAS, prior to becoming a Department of Interior employee in 1991, Dr.8 Burkett was Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries; and9 WHEREAS, Dr. Burkett has also served as Director of the Louisiana Coastal Zone10 Management Program, Deputy Secretary for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and11 Fisheries, and Assistant Director of the Louisiana Geological Survey; and12 WHEREAS, she has published extensively on the topics of global change and low-13 lying coastal zones; and14 WHEREAS, nominated by the United States government, she was a lead author on15 the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Third Assessment Report16 and its impacts on coastal and marine ecosystems; and17 WHEREAS, Dr. Burkett is now a lead author of the Intergovernmental Panel on18 Climate Change's Fourth Assessment Report; and19 WHEREAS, she coordinated both the Coastal and Southeast synthesis chapters on20 the United States National Assessment of climate change and its impacts in 2001, and was21 a member of the United States National Assessment Synthesis Team; and22 WHEREAS, she was a member of the National Research Council's Panel on River23 Basin and Coastal Systems Planning and several other expert panels and most recently, she24 served on a climate change impacts panel commissioned by the United Nations Framework25 Convention on Biological Diversity; and26 WHEREAS, she has been appointed to more than forty commissions, committees,27 expert panels, and boards during her career; and28 WHEREAS, said to be one of her proudest career moments, she was named Nobel29 Laureate for her contributions on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which30 SCR NO. 2 SLS 11RS-269 ORIGINAL Page 3 of 4 won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007, along with former Vice President Al Gore; and1 WHEREAS, for all the honors and recognition she has garnered, around Many,2 Louisiana, she is still known as "Caleb's mom," where on Friday nights, she is crowded into3 the stadium with other fans to cheer for the Many Tigers and her son, who is a team member;4 and5 WHEREAS, she also relishes time with her oldest son, Stephen Van Sickle and his6 wife, Mary Beth, and their two children; and7 WHEREAS, the Burketts are members of the Many First Baptist Church, where she8 teaches Sunday School and she was instrumental in founding the Taylor House, Sabine's9 shelter for victims of domestic violence; and10 WHEREAS, the National Wildlife Federation is a grassroots organization that11 represents the conservation voice of four million members and supporters, affiliated with12 wildlife organizations through the United States; and13 WHEREAS, starting with a mission to protect the wildlife for future generations14 quickly evolved into three strategic goals for the National Wildlife Federation including15 confronting climate change, protecting and restoring wildlife, and connecting people with16 nature; and17 WHEREAS, 2011 marks the seventy-fifth anniversary of the National Wildlife18 Federation and its establishment as one of America's premier conservation organizations;19 and20 WHEREAS, in 1936, cartoonist J.N. "Ding" Darling heeded the call of the wild,21 convening in Washington, D.C., the nation's largest first-ever meeting of conservationists22 to discuss the plight of vanishing wildlife resources and from this historic event, the National23 Wildlife Federation was created; and24 WHEREAS, the seventy-fifth anniversary gala will include a seated dinner featuring25 Master of Ceremonies actor Gloria Reuben, along with National Wildlife Federal Naturalist26 Dave Mizejewski, and some of his animal friends; and27 WHEREAS, Dr. Virginia Burkett is admired for her numerous published works on28 the topics of global change and low-lying coastal zones and now she will be honored by the29 National Wildlife Federation with the Science Award, which honors those whose30 SCR NO. 2 SLS 11RS-269 ORIGINAL Page 4 of 4 discoveries, expertise, and leadership in scientific disciplines have or will advance the cause1 of natural resources conservation.2 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby3 commend Dr. Virginia Burkett on being honored for her efforts in science by the National4 Wildlife Federation's Conservation Achievement Awards at its seventy-fifth Anniversary5 Gala.6 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to Dr.7 Virginia Burkett.8 The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Michelle Broussard-Johnson. DIGEST Long SCR No. Commends Dr. Virginia Burkett on being honored for her efforts in science by the National Wildlife Federation's Conservation Achievement Awards at its 75 th Anniversary Gala.