Dr. Burns is a data scientist who specializes in the use of machine learning and statistical data analysis to solve emerging data-driven challenges in industries ranging from the Internet of Things to national security. Using novel computational techniques, including computer vision and natural language processing, Dustin extracts meaning from sensor and internet data in order to make informed business decisions and to improve products with a focus on optimization, automation, and security. He combines his extensive computational toolkit with broad laboratory skills to perform prototyping, product testing, and failure replication.
Dustin received his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of California, Davis, in the field of experimental high-energy physics. Dustin’s dissertation research was based at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC), where he worked on the same team that contributed to the discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012. Dustin is experienced in large scale data processing and analysis using distributed computing systems, statistics, and machine learning. He has a fluency and adaptability to different computing environments and coding languages. Dustin gained laboratory and hardware experience performing radiation hardness and detector prototype testing in high-energy beamlines.
Additionally, Dustin is a founding member of the CRAYFIS: Cosmic RAYs Found In Smartphones (http://crayfis.io) experiment, where he applied modelling and statistical techniques to help design a ground-based comic ray detector array using the cameras in smartphones. He gained laboratory and hardware experience characterizing camera sensors and designing test fixtures for experiments, as well as through exposure to Android application development and testing.
CREDENTIALS & PROFESSIONAL HONORS
- Ph.D., Physics, University of California, Davis, 2017
- M.S., Physics, University of California, Davis, 2013
- B.S., Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), 2011,
summa cum laude, with research distinction in physics
- B.S., Applied Materials , Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), 2011, summa cum laude
Ursula Wiegand Scholarship Fund (2008-2011)
Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally (HOPE) Scholarship, Department of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology (2008-2011)
AT&T Foundation Scholarship (2010)
National Science Foundation Mentoring Through Critical Transition Points (MCTP) Scholarship, Department of Mathematics, Georgia Institute of Technology (2009, 2010)
Metha Phingbodhipakkiya Memorial Scholarship, Department of Mathematics, Georgia Institute of Technology (2009)
Student Marshal, Middle Georgia College Class of 2008
Engineering Physics Award, Department of Physics, Middle Georgia College (2008)
Sophomore Mathematics Award, Department of Mathematics, Middle Georgia College (2008)
Georgia Academy of Mathematics, Engineering, and Science Achievement Award (2008)
Governor’s Scholarship, Georgia Institute of Technology (2008)
Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, Middle Georgia College (2006)
LICENSES & CERTIFICATIONS
Graduate Statistician (GStat), American Statistical Association
Publications
Measurements of properties of the Higgs boson decaying into the four-lepton final state in pp collisions at √s = 13 TeV. By CMS Collaboration (Albert M Sirunyan et al.). arXiv:1706.09936 [hep-ex].
Search for associated production of dark matter with a Higgs boson decaying to bb or γγ at √s = 13 TeV. By CMS Collaboration (Albert M Sirunyan et al.). arXiv:1703.05236 [hep-ex].
Les Houches 2015: Physics at TeV colliders - new physics working group report. By G. Brooijmans et al.. arXiv:1605.02684 [hep-ph].
Searching for ultra high-energy cosmic rays with smartphones. By Daniel Whiteson, Michael Mulhearn, Chase Shimmin, Kyle Cranmer, Kyle Brodie, Dustin Burns. arXiv:1410.2895 [astro-ph.IM]. 10.1016/j.astropartphys.2016.02.002. Astropart.Phys. 79 (2016) 1-9.
Presentations
Burns D on behalf of CMS. A collider search for Dark Matter produced in association with a Higgs boson in the four-lepton final state at the 13 TeV LHC with CMS. US LHC Users Association Meeting. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA. 2-4 Nov 2016.
Burns D on behalf of CMS. A collider search for Dark Matter produced in association with a Higgs boson in the four-lepton final state at the 13 TeV LHC with CMS. APS Far West Section Meeting, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA. 29 October 2016.
Burns D on behalf of CRAYFIS. Cosmic RAYs Found In Smartphones. Grad Slam research presentation competition. Grad Studies, UC Davis, Davis, CA. 1 March 2016.
Mobs E, Meyer C, Burns D, Agapitos A, Koutava I, Kokabi A. CMS Create: Jumping for particles. Report and product demonstration at: 2015 CMS Create Competition. Ideasquare, CERN. 20 November 2015.
Burns D. Dark matter search via mono-Higgs → ZZ → four leptons. Report presented at: CMS Exotica Workshop 2015. Venice, Italy. 13 November 2015.
Academic Appointments
Teaching Assistant, Department of Physics, University of California, Davis, 2011-2013, 2017
Graduate Student Researcher, Department of Physics, University of California, Davis, 2013-2017
Graduate Student Researcher, CERN, 2013-2017
Undergraduate Researcher, Department of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2008-2011
Undergraduate Researcher, Department of Mathematics, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2009
Undergraduate Researcher, Department of Mathematics, University of Georgia, 2008
Professional Affiliations
American Statistical Association (member)
American Physical Society (member)
Project Experience
Improved performance of computer vision and machine learning algorithm for prototype internet connected device. Continually analyzed incoming data, diagnosing field failures and quantifying performance of algorithm.
Performed network packet sniffing analysis of consumer electronic devices as part of a litigation case for potential patent violations. Disassembled, documented, and performed chipset and patent claims analysis.
Subjected identity cards to various stress and failure tests according to ANSI and NIST standards, including precision measurements, abrasion, and chemical testing.
Analyzed mobile device computer forensics data. Cleaned evidence documents with OCR and cross referenced multiple data streams.
Developed software for programming secure medical device technology, responding to client requests for additional feature improvements.
Analyzed battery charging data to characterize the over discharged and charging cutoff behavior of various cells in Matlab. Measured force applied to mechanical components and prepared plots and presentation of results.
Designed test stand for failure replication of consumer electronics devices via three-point bending. Performed further failure replication testing with reproducible drop and torque testing.
Performed field inspections of multiple electrical devices, evaluating damage to sites and acquiring data recorded by devices for future analysis.
News & Events
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CREDENTIALS & PROFESSIONAL HONORS
- Ph.D., Physics, University of California, Davis, 2017
- M.S., Physics, University of California, Davis, 2013
- B.S., Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), 2011,
summa cum laude, with research distinction in physics
- B.S., Applied Materials , Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), 2011, summa cum laude
Ursula Wiegand Scholarship Fund (2008-2011)
Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally (HOPE) Scholarship, Department of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology (2008-2011)
AT&T Foundation Scholarship (2010)
National Science Foundation Mentoring Through Critical Transition Points (MCTP) Scholarship, Department of Mathematics, Georgia Institute of Technology (2009, 2010)
Metha Phingbodhipakkiya Memorial Scholarship, Department of Mathematics, Georgia Institute of Technology (2009)
Student Marshal, Middle Georgia College Class of 2008
Engineering Physics Award, Department of Physics, Middle Georgia College (2008)
Sophomore Mathematics Award, Department of Mathematics, Middle Georgia College (2008)
Georgia Academy of Mathematics, Engineering, and Science Achievement Award (2008)
Governor’s Scholarship, Georgia Institute of Technology (2008)
Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, Middle Georgia College (2006)
LICENSES & CERTIFICATIONS
Graduate Statistician (GStat), American Statistical Association