Professor Cynthia Burek, the first chair of Geoconservation in the world, taught on a variety of courses within the department. She received the Halstead medal for her research and outreach work from the Geologists' Association in 2022 and was made an Honorary Member of the Quaternary Research Association in 2022. She has also received over £250,000 from the Welsh government for her joint assessment of RIGS sites which has subsequently been put into Welsh planning guidance.

Cynthia has published over 100 papers and given hundreds of talks and walks to society at all levels on geoconservation, how geodiversity underpins biodiversity, limestone pavements, women in science (especially in history of geology, but also raising public awareness), local geodiversity, soils and good science communication. She serves on several national committees to influence public policy on geoconservation. She has also appeared on several TV programmes including BBC Coast, with Julia Bradbury on BEst Walks with a view and the BBC4 radio programme Science Matters as well as several BBC Wales TV programmes and radio broadcasts.

My main interests are in habitat conservation, environmental issues, gender equality, local history, and sustainable development.

At present I am a research affiliate for the Institute of Gender Studies, and I was on the Athena Swann committee for the University. I was Deputy Director of the Centre for Science Communication and served on the University Health, Safety and Environment Committee putting Environment on a par with health and safety. I was chair of the Environmental Task Force for the University for 11 years. Nationally, I serve on the UKGAP (Geodiversity Action Plan) steering group, English Geodiversity Forum, Association of Welsh RIGS Executive as being former Chair of NE Wales Regionally Important Geodiversity Sites (RIGS). I am deputy chair of Cheshire RIGS and spearheaded the Heritage Lottery Fund 3-year project for the Saltscape landscape of Cheshire. I was also on the Stakeholders committee for the Irish Sea Conservation Zone, one of four marine areas set up by the government to designate marine conservation areas. Additionally, I was on the international steering group for limestone pavement habitat research. At present I am Director for the UNESCO GeoMôn (Anglesey) Global Geopark with the portfolio for education. I was also on the steering group for the Geoconservation Wales/Cymru Forum. I also served as Trustee for the Armoury Conservation Trust, (ACT) safeguarding stone buildings in Llangollen for 6 years.

I am a trustee and temporary Chair for the British Federation of Women Graduates Scholarship Fund and a trustee for the Funds for Women Graduates. I also serve on the assessment committee of Funds for Women Graduates. I was Chair/Convener of the Graduate Women International Fellowship (formerly the International Federation of University Women) committee awarding women across the world grants for the final year of their PhD for 12 years. 

I also act as external advisor for other institutions both nationally and internationally including China and New Zealand. For 37 years I was an associate lecturer for the Open University in Wales and NW England within the Earth Science department and within the multidisciplinary environment and sustainable development areas.