Leader of Durham's Technology Enhanced Learning research group, a group of 20 research staff and students, Burd has also served as director of the UK's Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning—Active Learning in Computing. As Deputy Head of Faculty at Durham University in the UK, she has had a remit for student research and teaching and learning activities, and has taught Software Engineering at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
She has maintained research collaborations with firms that included IBM, Microsoft, British Telecommunication, BAe, and Logica. Her research has concentrated on a number of different aspects of software engineering, all relating to improving the environment in which the developer operates with a view to improving the quality and quantity of the work. Burd's research has spanned the following areas: Program Comprehension; Software Maintenance and Evolution; Software Process Improvement; Software Reuse; and Software Engineering Education.
She has garnered millions of dollars in research funds. She has served on program committees for more than 20 IEEE conferences, serving as Program Chair or General Chair. Burd has published more than 60 articles on software engineering and 30 articles on computing education.
She has received many awards for her work, including a Learning and Teaching Excellence Award from Durham University in 2001, the IEEE Computer Science and Engineering Undergraduate Teaching Award in 2008, and a UK National Teaching Fellowship in 2009. A member of the IEEE and the Computer Society for 15 years, Burd was appointed an IEEE senior member in 2005.
