David Burgess was born in 1947 into a Western Cherokee family in Hobbs, New Mexico. As a child his family moved to Northern California. In 1969, he received a bachelor's degree in biology from California State Polytechnic University. In 1974, he earned a Ph.D. in zoology from the University of California Davis. Burgess served as a college professor for over 34 years, including positions at Dartmouth College (1976-1982), University of Miami (1982-1990), University of Pittsburgh (1990-1998), and Boston College (1998- ).
He also was a department chairman and senior administrator, including as Academic Vice President and Dean of Faculties at Boston College from 1998-1999. He was President of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science and a Senior Advisor to the organization. His research interests were in cell biology, where he studied the mechanism by which cells change their shape and control cell division.
