Our Work

Creating a New Norm for Medical Care, in the U.S. and Around the World

Work with Project ECHO

Around the globe, millions of people suffer and die unnecessarily because we can’t get rapidly emerging medical knowledge in the right providers’ hands at the right time. For too many people with complex medical conditions, the specialists with … Continue reading Creating a New Norm for Medical Care, in the U.S. and Around the World →

Working Toward a Healthier America, County by County

Work with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute

People across the United States are beginning to realize that there’s a lot more to health than what happens in the doctor’s office. Where we live, learn, work and play makes a real difference, too. But can that … Continue reading Working Toward a Healthier America, County by County →

In Wake of Leaders’ Murders, Fighting for Land Title—and Justice—for Indigenous Ashéninka in Peru

Work with the Ford Foundation

In September of 2014, just before thousands of politicians and climate activists flooded the streets of New York for the United Nations Climate Summit, four indigenous leaders were shot to death by illegal loggers in the Ucayali region of Peru’s Amazon Rainforest. Indigenous partners in Peru contacted Burness via Facebook to help spread the word about this tragedy, the latest in a string of attacks on environmental defenders in tropical forest regions.

Protecting African Herders from Harsh Weather

Work with the International Livestock Research Institute

In the pastoral societies of East Africa, life for millions of people revolves around livestock. And when harsh weather arrives and animals perish, lives are ruined. Yet providing insurance against livestock loss in the region faces multiple challenges.

Raising the Bar for Community Colleges

Work with the Aspen College Excellence Program

The nation’s community colleges are underrecognized, underappreciated, and undervalued—but many are also underperforming. Seven million Americans—nearly half of all people who go to college—attend community college, particularly low-income, Hispanic and African American students who require an affordable option … Continue reading Raising the Bar for Community Colleges →

Filling the Void of Doctors and Nurses in Africa

Work with Seed Global Health

The World Health Organization estimates that in 57 countries around the world there is a dire shortage of 2.4 million doctors, nurses and midwives. The crisis is particularly severe in sub-Saharan Africa, which shoulders nearly a quarter of … Continue reading Filling the Void of Doctors and Nurses in Africa →

Elevating World-Class Environmental Science

Work with the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement

As we face global threats to our environment—from the loss of biodiversity, to climate change, to increasing water scarcity—much of the public dialogue around our environment is driven by politics and hyperbole. Too often the science that should … Continue reading Elevating World-Class Environmental Science →

Helping Cities Around the World Ride the Bike Share Boom

Work with the Institute for Transportation & Development Policy

Bike share is one of the fastest growing public transportation modes around the world, with more than 800 municipal systems implemented on five continents. Bike share addresses the question of the “last mile,” how people can travel from large … Continue reading Helping Cities Around the World Ride the Bike Share Boom →

Raising Profile of Forests: Climate Summit 2014

For the last two decades, the climate change conversation had overlooked the role forests play in reducing climate pollution. Forests, if left standing, are major carbon sinks; they are projected to have the potential to absorb and store … Continue reading Raising Profile of Forests: Climate Summit 2014 →