President, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, USA

Dr. Charles Steger is the 15th president of Virginia Tech, where he studied architecture and earned a Ph.D. in engineering. With a passion for teaching, Dr. Steger left professional practice to return to Virginia Tech, where he became Dean of the College of Architecture and Urban Studies and then Vice President before being named President in 2000.  Under his leadership, Virginia Tech has charted a course to be among the nation’s premier research universities. He is a Fellow in the American Institute of Architects and received the 2004 Compass Award from the New Century Technology Council for visionary thinking and leadership in information technology. Dr. Steger further received the 2009 Chief Executive Leadership Award from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, District III, and the 2010 Michael P. Malone International Leadership Award from the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities.

Dr. Steger is chairman of the Virginia Council of Presidents and was named by five Governors of Virginia to boards dealing with higher education, homeland security, information technology, and international education.  He chairs the board of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Investment Authority/Center for Innovative Technology and is a member of the Economic Club of Washington.  In addition, he serves on the board of the Jefferson Science Associates, (oversees the Jefferson National Lab), the board of the National Institute of Building Sciences, and the Senior Advisory Group of the Northern Virginia Technology Council Board of Directors. He is also Vice President of the Council of Presidents and Chair of the Executive Committee of the Southeastern Universities Research Association. In addition, he represents the Atlantic Coast Conference on the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) Presidential Oversight Committee and chairs that committee.