Principal Scientist, Environmental Biogeochemistry Panama City, Florida Operations Manager

Dr. Burris is Principal Scientist in Environmental Biogeochemistry at IST’s Panama City, Florida office. He is a key team member in IST’s Environmental Forensics Group. As an internationally recognized expert in environmental chemistry with 20 years experience in this field, conducting both field work and research, Dr. Burris provides IST and our clients with leadership and guidance in environmental forensic and chemistry assessments.

For 13 years, Dr. Burris conducted laboratory and field research at the Air Force Research Laboratory, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. This research focused on the fate and remediation of petroleum fuels, fuel additives, and chlorinated solvents in subsurface environments. His research has also included dissolution behavior of non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPL) into water, pesticide fate in river sediments, sorption behavior of fuels and solvents with aquifer solids, partitioning of dissolved organics into NAPL, microbial degradation of chlorinated solvents (e.g., TCE), in situ remediation of chlorinated solvents by zero-valent iron, natural attenuation of petroleum hydrocarbons and chlorinated solvents, phytoremediation, and fate of chlorinated solvents discharging into wetlands. He is presently involved in research concerning MtBE flux in ground water. He has also conducted contamination assessments at numerous sites and designed remedial action plans. Dr. Burris has written over 39 peer-reviewed publications, many for premier environmental journals. In addition, he has provided expert peer review for remediation activities.