Christopher Tyler Burks is an urban policy scholar and visiting assistant professor for the Department of Political Science. His research focuses on regional governance in metropolitan America. He is currently writing a book about race and regional governance in the metropolitan area of Birmingham, Alabama. Burks teaches courses in American politics, law, policy, planning and administration.

Burks was appointed to the Birmingham Planning Commission by the city council, where he supported the implementation of the comprehensive plan. Burks was elected president of the Alabama Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) with the mission to advance excellence in public service.

Burks is the founding principal of Urban Analysis, a management consulting firm in Birmingham. He consulted as a public policy analyst for Birmingham City Councilor Darrell O'Quinn on several transportation projects from 2018-2019, such as writing the request for proposals for the public ridesharing service Birmingham On-Demand.

Degrees and Certifications

• PhD, American University, May 2024
• MPA, University of Alabama at Birmingham
• BA, Florida College

Expertise and Research

• Urban policy and regional governance
• American politics and government
• Policymaking process and analysis
• Public and nonprofit management

Honors and Awards

• Founders' Fellow, American Society for Public Administration, 2020
• Charles Levine Doctoral Research Fellow, American University, 2019
• Sam Gaston Excellence in Mentoring Award, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2019

Publications

• Burks, C.T. (2022). “Preparing Undergraduate Students for Public Service,” book review of the Undergraduate Public Affairs Education: Building the Next Generation of Public and Nonprofit Administrators, edited by Madinah F. Hamidullah. Journal of Public Affairs Education.
• Burks, C.T. & Jones, P.A. (Forthcoming). “Understanding the Determinants of School District Secession.” Journal of Social Equity and Public Administration.

Presentations

• "Regional Governance for Ecological Resilience in Metropolitan Birmingham." Southeastern Conference for Public Administration, Atlanta, GA, Sep 28, 2023.
• “Gentrification and Political Displacement: Racial Representation in U.S. City Council Districts, 2000-2010,” Gentrification and Political Representation Conference, University of Houston, May 6, 2022.
• “Who will control the smart city? Imperative Public Policies for Digital Democracy,” American Society for Public Administration, e-conference, Jun 23, 2020.
• “How School District Secession Impacts the District Left Behind,” American Society for Public Administration, Washington, D.C., Mar 9, 2019.
• Alumni Mentor Program: Successful Alumni-Student Engagement Strategies,” Southeastern Conference for Public Administration, Birmingham, AL, Sep 23, 2018.