Larry Burns

Larry Burns teaches engineering at the University of Michigan and directs the Roundtable on Sustainable Mobility at the Columbia University Earth Institute. Formerly he was vice president of R&D at General Motors.

Burns has been a major voice for the "reinvention" of the automobile and the diversification of transportation energy. Within GM, he personally championed vehicle electrification, "connected" vehicles, fuel cells, biofuels, advanced batteries, autonomous driving, and a series of innovative concept vehicles. He has been a leading advocate for design and technology innovation focused on the total customer experience and the application of operations research.

Burns is currently an engineering professor at University of Michigan and director of the Roundtable on Sustainable Mobility at the Earth Institute at Columbia University. In addition, Burns serves as senior advisor to the chairman at Hess Corporation, vice chairman at the Midwest Research Institute, and contractor at National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

Burns is a member of the CleanTech Advisory Council at VantagePoint Venture Partners and is on the advisory council for GreenTech Capital Advisors.