Eric W. Burger

Dr. Eric Burger is Research Director of the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative at Virginia Tech, where he is also Research Professor of Computer Science and Public & International Affairs. His research spans 5G and Beyond, VoIP and real-time interactive multimedia services, secure communications, emergency communications, threat intelligence sharing, distributed ledger technology, and technology policy. Prior to Virginia Tech, Dr. Burger was Research Professor of Computer Science at Georgetown University.

He recently returned from government service as the Assistant Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. His primary portfolio was cybersecurity and telecommunications. Besides being an advisor to the President on R&D issues, he was an advisor to the National Security Council and the National Economic Council. Items he worked on included tripling the wireless R&D budget; integrating cybersecurity into networking; transferring 100 MHz of contiguous, prime mid-band 5G spectrum from Federal to commercial use; expanding broadband access; and lead the development of the R&D, standards, and test sections of the Securing 5G and Beyond Implementation Plan. He served as a member of Team Telecom and worked on CFIUS matters. Prior to OSTP, he served as the Chief Technology Officer of the FCC, where amongst other rulemakings he worked on cybersecurity, supply chain security, the security of submarine cables, improving location accuracy for wireless 911, combatting illegal robocalls, improving the Wireless Priority Service, and of greatest import, the designation of 988 for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.

Before academia, Dr. Burger was a C-level executive of several network equipment and enterprise software companies, including Neustar (NYSE), Brooktrout (NASD), and BEA Systems (NASD). In the service provider sector, he worked at MCI and Cable & Wireless. He has founded or turned around five companies with successful exits. He currently serves on the boards of the Public Interest Registry and the Foundation for Resilient Societies. He serves on the advisory boards of Ocient, SafetyDeed.com, and the Revolutionary Integration Group. He also serves on the advisory board of the Illinois Tech College of Computing and the Medgar Evers College School of Business. He holds over 20 US Patents, authored over 20 communications standards documents, and numerous journal publications.