Kimberly Burton

Kimberly Burton is an Associate Professor of Practice in City and Regional Planning at the Knowlton School in the College of Engineering at the Ohio State University. She is also an affiliated faculty member of OSU’s Sustainability Institute and OSU’s Building Science program. She specializes in sustainability and resiliency, especially related to transportation, hazard mitigation, and equity; and she also focuses on public engagement and distance learning.

Ms. Burton is a licensed professional engineer (Ohio P.E.), certified planner (AICP) with an advanced specialty in transportation planning (CTP), a LEED accredited professional in neighborhood development (LEED AP ND), and a certified climate change professional (CC-P). She has authored a variety of publications, including “Transportation Energy Beyond Fossil Fuels,” a re-occurring chapter in the last five State of Transportation Planning publications by the American Planning Association (2013, 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2022) where she explores the different ways to reduce fossil fuel dependency in the transportation sector.  She also published “Leading Remotely in a Crisis” on the American Planning Association’s Blog page in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; she contributed to the American Planning Association’s current Policy Guide on Surface Transportation, published in 2019; and co-authored the “Noise-Compatible Land Use Planning” chapter in the Guide to Planning in Ohio in 2007.

Ms. Burton received a bachelor of science in civil engineering in 1999, master of city and regional planning in 2002, and a master of learning technologies in 2021; all three degrees are from the Ohio State University.  She has also over 20 years of experience working in practice in both the public and private sectors.  In addition to serving as an OSU faculty member, she is also the President of a consulting firm, Burton Planning Services (BPS), which is focused on sustainable planning and environmental solutions for its clients.

Throughout her career, Ms. Burton has been a leader in planning practice.  Some highlights include receiving the Award for Excellence in Sustainability: Student Project from the American Planning Association’s Sustainable Communities Division for her Sustainability Studio project “Grove City Sustainability Plan” (2021) and the Outstanding Student Project Award from the American Planning Association’s Ohio Chapter for her Transportation Studio project “Byesville Community Mobility Plan” (2021). She also receiving the OSU Distinguished International Engagement Award for the Ghana Sustainable Change Program (2016) and the American Planning Association Division Council Award for Contribution to the Planning Profession for “State of Transportation Planning: Ahead of the Curve” (Burton authored a chapter) (2014).

Ms. Burton is a member of the American Planning Association and American Institute of Certified Planners. She serves as a member of the APA-Ohio Chapter’s Board of Trustees and as the State Professional Development Officer in addition to the APA Hazard Mitigation Division’s Ohio ambassador.

Ms. Burton teaches graduate and undergraduate lecture and studio courses on sustainability, transportation, green building, resiliency, future cities, professional development, municipal planning and zoning, and energy.  Several of her lecture courses are offered as online asynchronous courses to OSU students and via the OSU College of Engineering's Professional and Distance Education Programs.