Charlottesville, VA, – May 19, 2016 – Former Virginia Tech President Charles Steger, PhD, has been elected to the Board of Directors of The Focused Ultrasound Foundation.
“At this stage in my life and career, I want to dedicate my time to making a difference in improving the human condition,” says Dr. Steger. “I can think of no better use of my life energy than to be involved with the Foundation advancing development of focused ultrasound – an early-stage technology that can help transform treatment and improve outcomes for countless individuals with many serious diseases.”
“We are honored to have such a visionary leader and innovator join our Board,” said Foundation Chairman Neal F. Kassell, MD. “We look forward to Charles’ contributions as we fuel research and work to educate and empower the next generation to shape the future of medicine.”
Dr. Steger was the 15th president of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), where he studied architecture and earned a PhD in engineering. Dr. Steger’s presidency was one of the longest and most impactful terms in Virginia Tech history. He created interdisciplinary institutes, grew the research portfolio by 250 percent, oversaw the creation of a medical school and concluded a fundraising campaign that exceeded $1 billion. During his 14-year tenure, more buildings were constructed than under any Virginia Tech administration. Graduate and undergraduate enrollment and profiles reached all-time highs.
In 2003, Dr. Steger was appointed by Governor Warner to chair the Steering Committee on Research Capabilities and Centers of Excellence. He chaired the board for the Center for Innovative Technology, served on the board of the Jefferson National Lab, served on the Northern Virginia Technology Council, and was Vice President of the Council of Presidents and chair of the Executive Committee of the Southeastern Universities Research Association. Today, Dr. Steger is on the board of the National Institute of Building Sciences, a member of the Economic Club of Washington, and a Fellow in the American Institute of Architects.
About the Focused Ultrasound Foundation
The Focused Ultrasound Foundation was created to improve the lives of millions of people worldwide by accelerating the development of focused ultrasound, an early-stage, noninvasive, therapeutic technology with the potential to transform the treatment of many serious medical disorders. The Foundation works to clear the path to global adoption by coordinating and funding research, fostering collaboration, and building awareness among patients and professionals. The Foundation is dedicated to ensuring that focused ultrasound finds its place as a mainstream therapy for a range of conditions within years, not decades. Since its establishment in 2006, the Foundation has become the largest non-governmental source of funding for focused ultrasound research. More information can be found at www.fusfoundation.org.