Dr. Brian A. Burt, director and chief research scientist at the Wei LAB.
Burt, a 2019 Diverse Emerging Scholar and associate professor of higher education at the University of Wisconsin—Madison (UW—Madison), was previously assistant director and research scientist at the Wei LAB. He takes the reins from founder Dr. Jerlando F. L. Jackson, who is now the dean of Michigan State University’s College of Education.
Jackson and his work at the Wei LAB were early inspirations for Burt. They first met at an all-day symposium focusing on Black scholars, while Burt was still pursuing his doctorate.
“Dr. Jackson was laying out the blueprint of what the Wei LAB was, what intervention it does, why it’s important and necessary, how centers and labs have the capacity to elevate the work you do and disseminate the work,” said Burt. He took diligent notes that day, never knowing that later he would be leading the lab himself.
The Wei LAB was founded in 2010 as a research unit dedicated to advancing the mission of UW—Madison’s Office of Diversity and Climate. Over the next decade, the lab expanded to partner with other offices and organizations, both internal and external, that focus on Black students, LGBTQ+ campus climate assessments, urban education centers, and more. The lab won multiple grants and shared their work across state and country borders.
Jackson, who is also the MSU Foundation Professor of Education, said that he was excited about the selection of Burt.
