President’s Circle Member Profile: Keith Burridge
Written by Kimberly Dexter, Philanthropy Officer | Published: September 8, 2025
Keith Burridge remembers when the wilderness began to disappear. As a boy growing up along the southern coast of England, wild spaces weren’t some far-off dream. They were right there, just a short walk from his front door. “I’d collect bugs, watch birds, track frogs and snakes,” he recalls. “It was my playground.” But over time, he watched that land shrink. New homes and roads replaced the hedgerows and meadows. And even as a child, he felt it. The quiet heartbreak of losing the natural world, bit by bit.
That loss stayed with him. It followed him through the gates of Cambridge University, where he originally set out to study veterinary medicine, and later shifted to molecular biology. “I was fascinated by life, not just the animals I loved as a kid, but how life works at the smallest levels.” That curiosity brought him across the Atlantic to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on Long Island, NY, a hub of scientific innovation. And it was there that Keith met his wife, Pat Saling, through colleagues in the lab.
“She was also a scientist, eventually at Duke University in the Ob/Gyn and Cell Biology Departments. Sharp, driven, deeply committed to her work,” he says with quiet pride. “We’ve always shared a passion for understanding how the world works, and how to make it better.” Their shared values of inquiry, integrity, and environmental stewardship became the foundation of their family. They had one child, a daughter named Claire, who lives in Norway and is a senior researcher of early medieval health and medicine at the University of Oslo.
Keith eventually accepted a faculty position at the University of North Carolina in 1981. “The timing felt right, even though leaving England wasn’t easy,” he says. “But the opportunity, the intellectual community, it was a place where we could both grow, professionally and personally.”
Over the next few decades, Keith built a rewarding career as a researcher and mentor. He trained students, published studies, and helped advance our understanding of the building blocks of life. But even while focused on cell structures and scientific discovery, the bigger picture was never far from his mind.
“I’d read The Population Bomb as a student, and the message stuck with me. Population growth, environmental collapse, reproductive justice … they’re all connected. And it never made sense to separate them.”
That belief is what eventually brought him to Population Connection. “I’d known about ZPG since the ’60s, but I didn’t have the means to support back then. Once I retired and had more freedom, I started giving, and the more I learned, the more I wanted to get involved.”
For Keith, reproductive rights aren’t just a side issue; they’re central. “When women and girls have access to contraception and education, they gain agency. That leads to healthier families, stronger communities, and a better shot at protecting the environment. It’s a moral issue, and it’s a practical one.”
He knows he might not be the typical face of the reproductive rights movement. “An older man talking about women’s rights might seem unusual,” he says with a smile. “But I genuinely believe women are smarter than men, and we’ve had our chance. Maybe it’s time to let women run the show.”
Now retired, Keith spends his time writing plays. Most of them historical, some laced with science. “It’s harder than I expected,” he laughs. “But it’s also a new way to engage with the world, to process history, and maybe offer something meaningful.”
He’s proud to support Population Connection, and he’s hopeful others will join. “Most people don’t realize how reproductive rights tie into climate, poverty, migration — everything. But the more we educate, the more momentum we build.”
When asked what keeps him going, Keith points to partnership. “Pat and I have always believed in doing our part. Whether through science, storytelling, or supporting organizations like Population Connection, we try to live our values.”
And that curious kid from coastal England? He’s still in there. Still wondering how to save the frogs. Still believing that every act of care for people, for the planet, matters.
We’re grateful for Keith’s thoughtful generosity and commitment to reproductive freedom and environmental preservation. His journey reminds us that science and compassion are not mutually exclusive and that change, like nature, begins at the root. If you would like to learn more about our giving societies, please contact our Development team at giving@popconnect.org.