Murry Burgess ’23 is Mentoring the Next Generation of Conservation Leaders
Photo courtesy of Morgan Alexander. Murry Burgess poses with her newly published children’s book, “Sparrow Loves Birds.”
Following in her mother’s footsteps, teaching was always in the back of Burgess’ mind as she completed her undergraduate and graduate studies. But she struggled with whether to begin her career in academia or industry.
Burgess earned a bachelor’s degree in wildlife, fisheries and aquaculture at Mississippi State University in 2019 before completing a doctoral degree in fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology at NC State in 2023.
“What really inspired me to become a professor is kind of the story of students that I knew who wished they had a certain type of mentor and wished they had someone who looked like them represented,” Burgess said. “I wanted to provide what that generation was lacking a little bit.”
