By Staff Writer Zoe Winfield
Jonathan Burgos graduated in 2003 with a Masters of Science in Biology with an emphasis in Microbiology from Eastern New Mexico University. Burgos currently works at the Food and Drug Administration as a microbiologist where he is a part of an interdisciplinary team, where they study food outbreaks that happen throughout the USA. Burgos also works as an officer for the United States Public Health Services. Burgos also works as an outbreak responder for things such as Ebola, COVID, and other viruses. Burgos said, “Helping people” is the most rewarding part of his job.
When Jonathan finished his undergraduate at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, he heard about ENMU and liked that it was a smaller school. He started his master’s program at ENMU and fell in love with microbiology while taking a class with Manuel Varela who “gave me the space to be creative with my science and always gave me opportunities to grow.” When asked about his experience at Eastern, Jonathan said, “It was one of the best experiences I have had in higher education.” Burgos attributes it being one of the best experiences because he had a good mentor and the size of the school.
After Burgos graduated from Eastern, he began working on his post-doctoral work at the FDA as a microbiology reviewer. He also reviewed pharmaceutical data. Burgos is an officer for the US public health service and has been on 10 missions. One of these missions took him to Africa to help with the Ebola virus outbreak. In a job that can be extremely demanding and stressful, Jonathan said that, “I have to be passionate. It’s not the easiest thing being away from home.” Jonathan has helped countless people in his line of work. When Jonathan isn’t at work or traveling to help other communities, he enjoys photography and being with his son. Going to Eastern allowed Jonathan to discover what he enjoys most in science as well as provided him with an affordable education.
