Pitt Trustee, Alumnus Steven C. Beering Appointed Chair of National Science Board

PITTSBURGH--Pitt trustee and alumnus Steven C. Beering was recently appointed to a two-year term as chair of the National Science Board (NSB). The governing board of the National Science Foundation (NSF), the NSB also serves as the national science policy advisor to the President and Congress. The NSB comprises 24 part-time members, appointed by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Members are selected on the basis of their eminence in basic, medical, or social sciences; engineering; agriculture; education; research management; or public affairs. Beering was initially appointed to the NSB in 2002 and reappointed in 2004.

"We take great pride in the news that Steve Beering, our distinguished alumnus and member of the University of Pittsburgh Board of Trustees, has been named the chair of the National Science Board, an extraordinarily prestigious appointment," said Pitt Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg. "Steve is an exceptionally qualified and celebrated scientist whose career has included many years of outstanding service as the president of Purdue University. Without question, Steve's many talents, experiences, and expertise will prove invaluable to the NSB, just as they have proven to be invaluable to our University. We are both honored and proud to claim Steve as 'one of our own.'"

Beering served as president of Purdue University from 1983 until his retirement from that position, in 2000. During his administration, the university's research funding increased from $35 million to $263 million, four regional campuses were added, and enrollment went up by 27 percent. Now President Emeritus of Purdue, he continues to serve as chair of the Purdue Research Foundation and Purdue University Foundations. He holds appointments as professor of medicinal chemistry and molecular pharmacology at Purdue and professor of medicine at Indiana University (IU).

Prior to his Purdue presidency, Beering was dean of IU's School of Medicine and director of the IU Medical Center. He also was a consultant to the state of Indiana, where he served on the governor's commission that revolutionized the delivery of medical education by creating cost-effective satellites of the IU School of Medicine.

At Pitt, Beering earned the M.D. and B.S. degrees in 1958 and 1954, respectively. In 1998, he was Pitt's commencement speaker, receiving the honorary Doctor of Science degree at the ceremony. Elected a Pitt trustee in 2000, he was named a Pitt Legacy Laureate in 2002 and a Distinguished Alumni Fellow in 1996. Beering served on active duty with the U.S. Air Force Medical Corps from 1957 to 1969, achieving the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Beering has served as chair of both the Association of American Medical Colleges and the Association of American Universities and on the Board of Regents of the National Library of Medicine. He also is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and the Royal Society of Medicine and a member of both Phi Beta Kappa and the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences.

Beering serves on a number of national and corporate boards, including NiSource, Inc.; Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, Inc.; Community Foundation of Northern Indiana; CID Corporation; and the Universities Research Association.

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6/21/06/tmw