Media Contact: 
Will Wiquist, (202) 418-0509
will.wiquist@fcc.gov
For Immediate Release
CHAIRMAN PAI APPOINTS NEW CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER
WASHINGTON, October 2, 2017—Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai 
today announced his appointment of Eric Burger to serve as the agency’s Chief Technology 
Officer.  Dr. Burger will advise Chairman Pai and the agency on technology and engineering
issues, together with the Office of Engineering and Technology.
“The FCC’s work lies at the crossroads of technology and policy.  That makes it vital that we 
have at our disposal the technological expertise to make the right policy calls for the American 
people,” said Chairman Pai.  “I am pleased that Eric has agreed to join our team and lend us his 
vast expertise.  From stopping robocalls to facilitating the transition to next-generation networks, 
the FCC has important work to do for American consumers, and I’m grateful that we are adding 
such skill and experience to our team.”
The FCC’s chief technology officer serves as an advisor to the Chairman and as the senior 
technology expert in the agency.  The position is housed within the FCC’s Office of Strategic 
Planning and Policy Analysis.  Dr. Burger will replace Dr. Henning Schulzrinne, who returned to 
Columbia University.  Dr. Burger is expected to start work at the FCC this month.
Prior to joining the Commission, Dr. Burger served as director of the Security and Software 
Engineering Research Center in Washington, DC.  The center helps propose solutions to network 
problems like robocalling, rural call completion, accessibility of communications for Americans 
with hearing and speech impairments, reducing the cost of deploying and operating 
communications networks, and ensuring communication network security and stability.  He holds 
patents in telecommunications and is an expert in standards for telecommunications, network, and 
Internet technologies.
Dr. Burger has also held senior engineering and technology positions in various 
telecommunications companies and served as a technology consultant to others. He has also 
taught computer science at Georgetown University, George Mason University, and The George 
Washington University.  He holds a Ph.D. in computer science from Illinois Institute of 
Technology, an MBA from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium, and bachelor’s degree 
from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
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This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.  Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes 
official action.  See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974).