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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
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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
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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
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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.