Cora Gertrude Burwell was born in Massachusetts and raised in Stafford Springs, Connecticut.

[4][5] In July, 1907,[6] Burwell was appointed to a "human computer" position at Mount Wilson Observatory.

[7][8] In 1910, she attended the fourth conference of the International Union for Cooperation in Solar Research, when it was held at Mount Wilson.

[2] She was solo author on some scientific publications,[10][11][12][13][14] and co-authored several others (some of which she was lead author), with notable collaborators including Dorrit Hoffleit,[15] Henrietta Swope,[16] Walter S. Adams,[17] and Paul W.

[21] She retired from the observatory in 1949,[2] but continued speaking about astronomy to community groups.