JAMES BURKE – CURRICULUM VITAE
MA: Jesus College, Oxford. Also holds two honorary doctorates.
Director: English School, Bologna; English School, Rome.
Contributor: Zanichelli Italian-English Dictionary.
Italian Radio News Broadcasting.
Editor: Weidenfeld & Nicholson Encyclopedia of World Art.
Interpreter: B’nai Brith, Vatican II.
TELEVISION & INTERNET
(Writer/Producer/Host)
| 1999- | Burke Knowledge Web. A large interactive knowledge website, due online in 2004. |
| 1996-1998 | Connections III (Discovery Communications). A ten-part series on the history of knowledge and innovation. |
| 1996 | Connections: A mind game (CD-ROM) |
| 1993-1995 | Connections II (Discovery Communications). A 20-part series on the interactive nature of change. |
| 1992-1993 | Masters of Illusion (US National Gallery of Art / PBS). A study of the introduction of perspective in Renaissance art. |
| 1991 | Hot or Not (PBS). Follow-up to After the Warming. |
| 1989-1990 | After the Warming (Anglo / US / Australian). 2-hour miniseries on global warming, set in 2050 AD. |
| 1982-1986 | The Day the Universe Changed (BBC / Antenne 2 / Canale 5 / Finland). Ten-part view of the history of Western knowledge. First broadcast in the USA (PBS) in 1986, it was the first foreign documentary series to be funded by PBS without the aid of corporate sponsorship and achieved the season’s highest documentary audience. A university course based on the series began in North America in 1988. A special version of the series has also been produced for use in North American high schools. To date, the series has been broadcast in 90 countries. |
| 1979-1981 | The Real Thing (BBC). Six-part series on the brain and human perception. To date, broadcast in 25 countries. |
| 1976-1979 | Connections (BBC / Time Life). Ten-part series surveying the history of technology and social change. When first broadcast in the USA (PBS), it achieved the highest-ever audience for a documentary series. The series is used in over 350 colleges and universities in the USA. To date, Connections has been broadcast in over 95 countries. |
| 1972-1976 | The Burke Special (BBC). Weekly, 30-minute prime-time science show. |
| 1966-1972 | Tomorrow’s World (BBC). Weekly, prime-time science magazine-format show. Spaceflight (BBC). Chief reporter and anchor for US and Russian mission coverage. |
Selected Documentaries
“Antarctica”
“The Crowded Sky” (air traffic)
“Portrait of a Champion” (chess master Bobby Fisher)
“Profile of Fred Hoyle” (astronomer)
“Something for Nothing” (UK National Health Service)
“The Only Way to Go” (fear of flying)
“The End of the Beginning” (review of Apollo Missions)
“The Men Who Walked on the Moon” (Moon-landing anniversary)
“The Neuron Suite” (the brain)
Mini-Series
“Paid Off” (unemployment)
“The Oil Game” (oil depletion scenario)
“The Peace Game” (1974 wargame on future break-up of Yugoslavia and geopolitical results)
“Intimate Relations” (doctor-patient)
“The Inventing of America” (BBC / NBC Bicentennial Special)
“Halley” (encounter with the comet)
AWARDS
Emmy Nominee (1999)
Connections2 (1995)
Cable Ace “Documentary Host of the Year”
Houston Festival, Bronze
Masters of Illusion (1992)
American Film and Video Association, Blue Ribbon
US Industrial Film & Video Festival, Gold Camera
National Educational Film & Video Festival, Silver Apple
After the Warming (1991)
TV Guide, “Best Science Documentary of the Year”
American TV and Video Festival, Red and Blue Ribbons
Houston International Film Festival, Bronze
National Headliners Award, Best in Show
Chicago International Film Festival, Gold Hugo
Intercom ’91, Gold Hugo
NATPE ’92, Iris Award
US Industrial Film & Video Festival, Gold Camera
New York International Film & TV Festival, Silver Medal
CINDY Awards, Medal
The Day the Universe Changed (1986)
Ohio Award, “Excellence in Screenwriting”
Chicago Film Festival, Merit
American Television Society, Blue Ribbon
Connections (1980)
American TV & Video Festival, Blue Ribbon
The Burke Special (1973)
Royal Television Society, Gold Medal “Outstanding Programming”
The Burke Special (1972)
Royal Television Society, Silver Medal “Outstanding Creative Work on Camera”
BOOKS
“Twin Tracks” – 2003
“Inventing America” 2001 (contributor)
“Circles” 2000
“The Knowledge Web” 1999
“The Pinball Effect” 1996
“The Axemaker’s Gift” 1995
“The Day the Universe Changed” 1985 and later editions
“Connections” 1979 and later editions
“Tomorrow’s World II” 1970
“Tomorrow’s World I” 1969
Italian/English Dictionary 1964
JOURNALS
1994- Scientific American (monthly column); Forbes ASAP (contributor) Time Magazine (contributor)
LECTURES include:
US University lecture circuit (1980-present)
3M (multiple, keynotes)
American Information Industry Association (keynote)
Apple Forum: The Future of Communications (keynote and chair)
Association of American Engineering Societies (keynote)
Association of Computer Machines (multiple, keynote & chair)
Bell Atlantic
Bell South
Cisco
Canadian Science Teachers’ Association (keynote)
Danish Government Economic Forum (chair)
Dow Chemical (keynote)
Dun & Bradstreet (multiple, international, keynote)
Ernst & Young (video)
European Parliament Technology Agency (keynote)
European Parliament Technology Symposium (chair)
Field Museum of Chicago (keynote)
Hewlett Packard International (keynote)
IBM (multiple international, keynote)
Juniper Networks
MCI (video)
Microsoft (multiple, keynote)
MIT (keynote)
NASA 25th Anniversary (keynote)
Nortel (multiple, keynote)
Price Waterhouse (video)
Procter & Gamble (keynote)
Science Centers: St. Louis, Seattle, San Jose, Ontario
Palm
Semi-conductor Research Corporation (keynote)
Sun Microsystems (keynote)
US Department of Energy (keynote)
US Government Technology Conferences (multiple, keynote)
US National Council of State Legislators (keynote)
US National Association of State Governors (keynote)
US Department of Energy
US Naval Research Labs
VISA (multiple, keynote)
World Council (chair)
Xerox