Merlin D. Burt, Ph.D., is director of the Ellen G. White Estate and a field secretary for the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. He previously served as the founding director of the integrated Center for Adventist Research, which includes the White Estate Branch Office at Andrews University. He was also professor of church history at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary (2003-2020). Previous to his academic and administrative appointments, Dr. Burt served for a number of years as a pastor in California and Ohio, USA. He and his wife, Sarah, have two sons and a daughter and six grandchildren.