Dr. Gail D. Burd to Retire After 40 Years of Exceptional Service at the University of Arizona
Dr. Gail D. Burd, senior vice provost of academic affairs and teaching and learning and university distinguished professor of molecular and cellular biology, will retire in January 2025 after 40 years of exceptional service at the University of Arizona.
Dr. Burd has significantly contributed to the university, particularly in improving teaching and learning practices. She has systematically challenged and transformed pedagogical approaches across campus. This innovation to improve teaching and support instruction in the classroom, combined with support from university senior leadership, has helped establish our institution as one of the most innovative R1 universities in evidence-based teaching and collaborative learning.
Chemistry and The Commons buildings. Photo by Nina Bates, Office of the Provost.
Her key achievements include redesigning physical learning spaces, and moving beyond traditional lecture halls to create collaborative environments that actively encourage interactive learning. The Chemistry and Commons Building project is the highlight of the collaborative learning spaces (CLS) initiative and a lasting tribute to Dr. Burd's impactful legacy. Today, the university has 61 of these collaborative spaces, accounting for nearly 24% of our centrally scheduled classrooms.
Dr. Burd established faculty learning communities that helped faculty understand that effective education is accomplished through cognitive engagement, discourse, and collaborative interaction. She spearheaded the establishment of the Center of University Education Scholarship (CUES), which supports innovative teaching and research on learning methods.
Beyond teaching transformation, Dr. Burd has been instrumental in numerous critical university initiatives. She led a large team of faculty, staff, administrators, and students through the successful reaffirmation of accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission in 2021, earning a full ten-year period of accreditation, and another in 2023 to earn a full ten-year accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior Colleges and University Commission (WSCUC).
Gail Burd and attendees at the 2023 CUES Year-in-Review. Photo by Veronica Rodriquez, University Center for Assessment, Teaching, and Technology (UCATT).
A dedicated mentor, Dr. Burd has been championing the professional development of women throughout her distinguished career. For decades, she has embodied leadership by creating pathways for emerging talent, consistently breaking down barriers, and inspiring those around her. Her impact on institutional culture was formally recognized when she was honored with the prestigious Women of Impact Award in 2024.
We extend our congratulations and gratitude to Dr. Burd for her exceptional service. We are committed to preserving and advancing the educational innovations she has championed throughout her distinguished career. Though she will be deeply missed, her legacy will continue to inspire generations of educators and students at the University of Arizona.
Student life inside collaborative classroom EDU211. Photo by Nina Bates, Office of the Provost.
Lisa Elfring, Vice Provost, Instruction and Assessment and Specialist, Molecular and Cellular Biology
“I count Gail’s continuing mentorship as the most impactful and lasting factor in my professional life, which has been blessed by an abundance of generous and insightful mentors. Early in my career as an introductory biology instructor, Gail recognized something in me that I didn’t know was there, asking me to serve as the biology representative to the state Articulation Task Force. A few years later, she invited me to become involved in a grant-funded initiative to improve equitable outcomes by making evidence-based course design and teaching changes in the MCB 181R Introductory Biology course, which allowed me to start building my leadership skills and gave me the opportunity to form the first faculty learning community (FLC) on our campus, focusing on course-based assessment. In the ensuing years, she included me as one of the key collaborators in the campus AAU-STEM project, which helped us promote and assess the impact of learner-centered approaches to teaching and learning through several course-redesign projects across STEM disciplines. This project provided the genesis for our campus-wide FLCs on teaching and the collaborative classroom project; both these projects continue to change the way we teach and learn across disciplines. Gail provided invaluable encouragement as I moved into leadership in the Office of Instruction and Assessment and later, the University Center for Assessment, Teaching, and Technology, and her support continues to this day. It is a privilege to contribute to the ambitious and forward-thinking vision she had for a holistic support center for teaching and learning.”
Tina Deemer, Director of Academic Resources, Office of Academic Affairs
"Gail Burd has made a profound and lasting impact on teaching and learning within our campus community. Over the past decade, Gail has tirelessly championed the development of collaborative learning spaces. Thanks to Gail’s vision and influence, over one-fourth of the centrally-scheduled classrooms on campus, have been transformed into active learning environments, fundamentally enriching the educational experience and permanently shifting the teaching paradigm. Gail’s unwavering commitment to this endeavor spurred the university to embark on a $42 million project to renovate and repurpose the historic Chemistry building, which includes several innovative learning spaces and universal accessibility throughout the building. The Chemistry/Commons project stands as the crowning achievement of the collaborative learning spaces initiative, and will serve as an enduring testament to Gail’s remarkable legacy on our campus for decades to come."
The Commons collaborative classroom 105. Photo by Veronica Rodriquez, University Center for Assessment, Teaching, and Technology (UCATT).
Vicente Talanquer, Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry
"Gail was instrumental in creating the conditions, garnering support, and securing funds for establishing the Center for University Education Scholarship (CUES) that supports faculty across the University of Arizona to engage in research projects to advance post-secondary education. CUES would not exist without the leadership and commitment that Gail has consistently demonstrated to support faculty in implementing and contributing to developing evidence-based teaching practices. She has opened and nourished multiple spaces for faculty to gather and think rigorously about educational issues, always focused on improving student learning and academic experiences."