Chris Burn

Christopher Robert Burn, known more commonly as Chris Burn, is a British-Canadian geomorphologist. He is emeritus Chancellor's Professor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at Carleton University, having retired in July 2025.

Education Burn graduated from Durham University in 1981 with a first-class degree in geography. He continued his studies in Canada on a Commonwealth Scholarship, receiving his MA in geography in 1983 and PhD in geology in 1986, both from Carleton University.

Career and research Burn is a specialist in the study of permafrost and periglacial processes in northern Canada. Beginning in the early 1980s, he conducted fieldwork in the Yukon, the Mackenzie Delta, and Banks Island. His research has revolved around the factors controlling permafrost distribution, geomorphic processes in permafrost landscapes, and the implications of climate warming for communities and infrastructure within the Canadian Arctic.

During his career he has collaborated with various bodies on mitigating the impact of climate change in northern Canada, including the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation and Parks Canada. He was also hired to research the resilience of the Dempster Highway to climate change, and was a consultant to the decision-making processes on the Mackenzie Gas Project and the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway review.

Selected publications Conference papers

Journal articles