Following an internship in Fermilab National Accelerator Laboratory, Illinois, and the completion of her Ph.D. in Physics at Dublin City University, Dr Burke's postdoctoral research focused on the development of optical immunosensors.  She was appointed Manager of the Optical Sensors Laboratory 30-person research group and managed Work Packages of several pan-European industry/academia large-scale projects (25-30 partners, 18-22M Euro budgets).  She was recruited to a start-up company as Director of Operations and Customer Experience, was awarded a place on the Hothouse Entrepreneurship Programme and completed a Post-Graduate Diploma in New Business Development.  With experience as both an SME applicant and an academic researcher, she has secured several million euro of funding from a range of sources, including a 3M Euro EU project.  She held the position of Centre Manager of the Centre for Global Health in Trinity College Dublin before joining DCU Research and Innovation Support as Senior Research Officer, where she was appointed Call Manager for all industry and commercialisation-related awards.  She later took over responsibility for supporting the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and formed and led the HSS and Education Research Support team during the DCU Incorporation process.  Following this, she took on responsibility for research support for all of the Faculty of Science and Health and environment and health-related funders.  

Dr Burke currently provides specialist support for funders and calls in the area of Health and the Environment, including for the Health Research Board, Wellcome, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, US National Institutes of Health and European Commission Horizon Europe calls in Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment and Health. 

Dr Burke is also responsible for the review, negotiation and management of legal research agreements in these areas.

A senior staff member, Dr Burke leads the Engaged Research support in DCU and development of numerous DCU research-related policies.  She is also the Research Officer lead for the DCU application and award management system.