CAMBRIDGE, MASS. – The Institute of Politics (IOP) at Harvard Kennedy School today announced that former Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) will join the IOP as a visiting fellow for the Spring 2023 semester. Senator Burr will visit Harvard the week of April 17 for a variety of discussions, events, and programming.

“I am honored to be named a Visiting Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics this Spring,” said Senator Richard Burr. “The next decade promises to be one of the most impactful times in our nation’s history with unprecedented advances in technology affecting everything from health care to higher education. The public policy landscape in America will change dramatically and demand the potential of a new generation of leaders. I look forward to the important dialogue to come with Harvard’s students and faculty.”

“For decades, Senator Richard Burr has been a leading conservative voice in critical policy issues such as health care, education, disability rights, veterans affairs, conservation, technology and innovation, and national security and intelligence,” said IOP Director Setti Warren. “We look forward to welcoming Senator Burr to campus to engage with our students on these important topics and the pathway forward for our democracy.”  

Senator Richard Burr served five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives (1995-2005) and three terms in the U.S. Senate (2005-2023). During his time in the House, he led legislation modernizing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and began his work to improve our nation’s biodefense and pandemic preparedness capabilities. In the Senate, he served as Ranking Member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, where he prioritized promoting innovation in America’s health care system, creating today’s pandemic response framework, improving the FDA’s ability to regulate cutting-edge treatments, and championing funding for medical innovation and research. Senator Burr also was a leader in education policy and worked with a group of his colleagues to write the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act to dramatically reduce interest rates for students who have federal student loans. In addition to leading Republicans on the HELP Committee, Burr also served as a senior member of the Select Committee on Intelligence, the Finance Committee, and the Special Committee on Aging.

Read his full biography here.

Senator Burr joins a distinguished cohort of Institute of Politics Visiting and Resident Fellows for the Spring 2023 semester:

• Visiting Fellow Kate Brown, former Governor of Oregon (2015-2023)
• Visiting Fellow Cheri Bustos, former U.S. Representative (D, IL-17) (2013-2023)
• Resident Fellow Kristin Amerling, Chief Counsel and Deputy Staff Director, House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol
• Resident Fellow Negah Angha, Associate Vice President, The Cohen Group; former Director for Multilateral Initiatives, National Security Council
• Resident Fellow Jaime Herrera Beutler, U.S. Representative (R, WA-3) (2011-2023)
• Resident Fellow Quentin Fulks, Political Strategist and Campaign Manager, Warnock for Georgia (2022)
• Resident Fellow Matthew Raymer: Chief Counsel, Republican National Committee
• Resident Fellow Jason Rezaian: Washington Post Opinions Columnist

About the Institute of Politics

The Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School was established in 1966 as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy. The Institute’s mission is to unite and engage students, particularly undergraduates, with academics, politicians, activists, policymakers, and journalists on a non-partisan basis to inspire them to pursue pathways in politics and public service. The Institute and its 15 programs blend the academy with practical politics and offer students the opportunity to engage in current events and to acquire skills and perspectives that will assist in their postgraduate pathways.

For more information about the Institute of Politics and our programming, visit iop.harvard.edu.