Dr. Maria Burns

Program Director TLIM and Director of Education BTI
University of Houston

Dr. Maria Burns is the Program Director of the Technology, Leadership and Innovation Management Program, at UH College of Technology, and Director of Education at the Borders, Trade, and Immigration Institute, a DHS Center of Excellence. She is also an elected UH Faculty Senator for Research and Scholarship (2021-2024).

She has received security-related funding in excess of $1.3M as PI in DHS and Co-PI in State Department grants. Her academic studies entail Political Science, Data Science, and International Trade and Transport. She parlays 20 years of experience in global maritime corporations in the areas of Operations Management, Government Relations, Emergency Response, HazMat, and Risk Management.

A prolific author and course developer, she has won awards and prestigious memberships by the U.S. Coast Guard Aux. (2012), the Department of Public Safety (2016), the Private Sector Advisory Council under the Governor of Texas (2017), and the Emergency Management Association (2017), etc.

At a UH level, she received the BTI Institute Thrust Lead for Education Certificate of Excellence (2017), the UH Provost’s Excellence in Research Certificate (2016), and Provost’s Excellence in Research Letter (2021).

A respected public speaker, her work is featured in leading global and industry media including Reuters, NASDAQ, Maritime Executive, Yahoo News, ABC, Foxbusiness, Port Technology, etc.