WSCSE-2025

Dr. Robert Burns is a Distinguished Professor in the Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science Department at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Robert has over 30 years of experience in the management and land application of livestock and poultry manures. Dr. Burns holds a BS in Agricultural Engineering, MS in Environmental Engineering, and PhD in Civil Engineering from The University of Tennessee and is a registered professional engineer. Burns’ engineering efforts have resulted in major impacts on the basic knowledge and engineering practices for livestock and poultry housing, manure management and utilization. Burns received both the Henry Giese Structures & Environment and G.B. Gunlogson Countryside Engineering Awards from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) in recognition of his impact in the field. Robert has also been inducted as an ASABE Fellow in recognition of his outstanding and extraordinary qualifications and experience in the field of agricultural engineering. Dr. Burns recently served as a Member of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Technical Advisory Group on Methane, where he provided leadership to the section of the report on the mitigation of methane emissions from manure. Robert has mentored over 70 graduate students, postdocs, and visiting professors/scholars. He is an author/co-author of more than 240 technical publications and has delivered over 650 presentations in over 20 countries.