Alumni Spotlight

College of Arts & Sciences Alumni Spotlight Series

December 2, 2023

Brad Burden

Brad Burdon is an alumnus of Texas A&M-Central Texas with a passion for biology and a commitment to environmental conservation. Brad graduated from A&M Central Texas in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. He currently serves as a Pollinator Biologist and Entomology Specialist at Fort Cavazos while he also purses a Master’s degree at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences.

Brad’s recent successes are an extension of his accomplishments in the biology program at A&M-Central Texas. Brad held leadership positions as the Student Body Vice President and President of the Science Club. Brad was also an integral part of the Student Conduct Panel at A&M-Central Texas. Through these roles,

Brad put into practice his desire to “be active, volunteer, and let your voice be heard.”

Brad praises the biology program for kindling a passion for biological research that already defines his career. As an undergraduate research assistant in the program, Brad conducted original research across two summers that led to his first scientific publication. Brad credits “the smaller class size of the Biology program offered more one-on-one time with professors, greater student engagement, and a cohesive class culture” as key contributors for his early success.

Brad continues to find ways to connect with A&M-Central Texas. He remains an active partner in the monarch butterfly research being conducted on A&M-Central Texas campus. In fact, Brad recently won Fort Cavazos’ Volunteer in the Communities Individual award for his efforts in the project, which connects environmental conservation and military readiness in important ways. Together, through alumnus like Brad, Fort Cavazos and A&M-Central Texas continue to make an impact on the Central Texas region.