Michael Burns

University of Washington

“Dr. Burns is the most eloquent, clear, collaborative, intelligent and personal professor I have‬‭ encountered. He makes learning an interactive experience that is a two-way street. Despite his‬‭ extreme intelligence and diverse education, he treats his students as mutuals, as colleagues. He‬‭ takes his job as a professor extremely seriously, prepping his lectures in a cohesive and‬‭ comprehensible manner, he adjusts his curriculum and grading based on student feedback, and he‬‭ runs his classes in the most engaging manner possible. He doesn’t make learning easy, he makes‬‭ it challenging but supported and safe.” – Christina Williams

"Throughout his career, Dr. Burns has been actively engaged in educating undergraduate and graduate students within our own department, as well as students in medical and other healthcare disciplines. His depth of knowledge across areas and his pedagogical versatility make him one of the rare faculty members I have ever known to be able to teach almost 20 different courses, and do so with unwavering enthusiasm and extraordinary skill." – Kristie A. Spencer, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

“Dr. Burns is the definition of what it means to be an exceptional professor. He brings an energy and enthusiasm to every class that is unparalleled. He pushes his students to work hard and to‬‭ think critically, often reminding us that our future clients are relying on us to learn and retain the‬‭ information. His ability to reframe complex scientific concepts into understandable, real-world‬‭ examples is making me a better clinician. And he somehow manages to balance sarcasm with‬‭ kindness, high expectations with compassion and understanding, and professionalism with‭ authenticity. He is the type of person and clinician I hope to be in the future - I am so grateful to‬‭ get to learn from him.” – Kenna Little

"I am deeply grateful to have had Dr. Burns as my professor throughout both my‬‭ post-baccalaureate and master's programs. His exceptional teaching abilities, unwavering  enthusiasm, and dedication to our department are truly remarkable. Dr. Burns has set an‬‭ incredibly high standard for others to aspire to; every minute of his lectures is valuable. What‬‭ truly distinguishes Dr. Burns is his focus on studying intelligently for the benefit of our future‬‭ clients, rather than fixating solely on grades or perfection. As a student who has experienced‬‭ different majors and schools, I can attest to the privilege our department and UW have in having‬‭ Dr. Burns as a part of our academic community. His dedication, expertise, and genuine‬‭ commitment to his students make him an invaluable asset to our institution.” – Carrey Zhou

2023 Honors of NSSLHA Recipient

Stephanie Fleckenstein, AuD, CCC-A
University of Iowa

2022 Honors of NSSLHA Recipient

LGBTQ+ CSD Student Association
For their work supporting LGBTQ+ students studying communication sciences and disorders. 

2021 Honors of NSSLHA Recipient

Dr. Gabriela Simon-Cereijido, CCC-SLP
California State University, Los Angeles