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National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins to speak at Virginia Tech’s virtual commencement

He will speak on May 14

Francis Collins (National Institutes of Health)

Virginia Tech has announced its keynote speaker for virtual commencement this spring.

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Francis S. Collins M.D., Ph.D. will be speaking at Virginia Tech’s virtual commencement on May 14.

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Collins was appointed and sworn in as the 16th NIH director in 2009 and oversees the work of biomedical research.

Collins has become one of the most recognized authority figures in the response to COVID-19, other than Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. He is Fauci’s boss.

The director has played an important role in the fight against COVID-19 and is the only presidential appointed NIH director to serve more than one administration.

The university’s virtual ceremony will start at 6:15 p.m. with a pre-ceremony and the commencement will begin at 6:30 p.m.