Fauci to join Georgetown faculty

Georgetown University announced Monday that former chief White House medical advisor Anthony Fauci will be joining its faculty beginning in July as a professor in its infectious diseases division, his first role since leaving a decades-long career in government late last year.

“Starting July 1, Fauci will serve as a Distinguished University Professor in the School of Medicine’s Department of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases, an academic division that provides clinical care, conducts research and trains future physicians in infectious diseases,” Georgetown said in its announcement.

The longtime government scientist will also have a position in Georgetown’s McCourt School of Public Policy.

“I am delighted to join the Georgetown family, an institution steeped in clinical and academic excellence with an emphasis on the Jesuit tradition of public service,” Fauci was quoted as saying in the school’s announcement.

“This is a natural extension of my scientific, clinical and public health career, which was initially grounded from my high school and college days where I was exposed to intellectual rigor, integrity and service-mindedness of Jesuit institutions,” he added.

Fauci, 82, stepped down from government work at the end of 2022 after more than 50 years in public service and becoming one of the leading voices on infectious diseases in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic. He first joined the National Institute of HealtH (NIH) in 1968 and advised every U.S. president since Ronald Reagan.

During his tenure working for the federal government, he served as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for nearly 40 years.

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Much of his career was publicly defined by his work on HIV/AIDS, as scientists, advocates and patients sought to understand the disease and stop its spread. However, he became most well-known in the past few years as a leading figure in America’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

His presence on the national stage earned him both praise for his expertise as well as scorn from conservative lawmakers who accused him of partisanship. His intense rows with lawmakers like Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) during Senate hearings frequently garnered national attention.

When he announced his departure from government in August, Fauci said he planned to “pursue the next phase of my career while I still have so much energy and passion for my field.”

“We are deeply honored to welcome Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, a dedicated public servant, humanitarian and visionary global health leader, to Georgetown,” Georgetown President John J. DeGioia said in a statement.

Fauci had hinted at a role in academia after stepping down. Last week, while speaking at The Hill’s Future of Healthcare Summit, said he wished to serve as an inspiration for younger people to enter public service.

“It really is going to be something to be really serving as a resource through writing, through lecturing, through consulting — perhaps getting involved in an academic center,” Fauci said when asked about his future plans.