Off The Cuff: Emily Burns

Nov. 15, 2019

Our CCRI faculty and staff are a diverse group with many fascinating hobbies and interests that keep them busy during their free time off campus. Welcome to Off the Cuff. Every other week, we'll profile a member of our CCRI family to find out what makes them tick. Hopefully, their stories inspire others and help us develop new connections and friendships with our CCRI colleagues.

Chances are you’ve seen random pieces of origami floating around the Knight or Flanagan Campus, whether at a colleague’s desk or strategically placed in a windowsill in the classroom.

Who’s the mastermind behind all of this beautiful Japanese art sprucing up our daily routine? Meet Physics Professor Emily Burns, a 13-year veteran at CCRI who teaches Urban Geology, Oceanography, Natural Disasters and ArcGIS, otherwise known as computer mapping.

The Providence native is so engrossed in her origami, she’s decided to share it with her colleagues. There’s a box in the Physics Department on the second floor of the Knight Campus with a sign that says “FREE ORIGAMI,” and Burns encourages anyone who stops by to take a piece (or two, or three) as a little pick-me-up during the day. She also leaves origami on a shelf in the Faculty Office at Flanagan. She can fold almost any design, whether it’s a paper sailboat, turtle, dog or the more traditional crane, which has become one of the recognized symbols of origami.

This week, we sat down with Burns to find out what inspires her art and how some of her pieces have found their way to the Big Apple. Make sure to drop by the Physics Department today for a nifty weekend souvenir!

How did you first get involved with folding origami?
 
About three years ago, I had some minor surgery and was laid up for several days. I got bored and decided to try origami. I'd been thinking about attempting it for a long time. I found some origami paper in the house and went online, where I found videos, diagrams, and instructions. I discovered that folding origami is excellent for relaxation and improves my concentration, so I kept doing it. It helps in the classroom, too. I have noticed that origami refreshes my mind after a long day of teaching or a big pile of grading. Students with ADD and Asperger’s have told me that it calms them and helps them concentrate. Some of them fold origami stars in class to improve their focus.
 
Have you become more involved through any origami clubs or organizations?
 
I'm a member of OrigamiUSA, a national origami organization. Their website has design templates you can learn to fold from, or you can buy books or download diagrams. They even host annual conventions where people who are involved with origami can meet one another and share ideas. I have been a member for the last two years.
 
At what point did you decide you wanted to share your work with the CCRI community?
 
Origami takes practice. If I didn't give it away, my house would be knee-deep in it. Giving people origami makes them happy, so I leave it in places where they can take it. I have been astonished at the positive reaction. People come by regularly and take origami. It’s a nice feeling knowing it can help perk up somebody’s day. I also schedule origami folding sessions occasionally, when time permits.
 
How long does a typical piece take to create?
 
It depends on the piece. A simple piece with a few folds will take two or three minutes. A more complex piece will take longer.
 
We understand some of your work has been displayed at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City? What’s it like knowing your origami is getting additional exposure?
 
The museum is where OrigamiUSA has its headquarters, so every Christmas they decorate a tree with origami that their members make. They send a piece of paper and a pattern to their members, and you can make the decoration and send it in. You can also send more than one. The design is different every year. Last year I participated and sent in some tropical fish. This year it was a star, and I sent a dozen. I didn’t actually get to New York to see my work on the Christmas tree at the museum, but it was good to know that it was there. 

We would love to hear your story, too! Email us at [email protected] if you’d like to be featured in a future edition of “Off the Cuff” or want to nominate a co-worker.

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