Nineteenth President of the University of Iowa, 2003 — 2006
A strong supporter of interdisciplinary education, David J. Skorton held joint appointments as professor in the College of Medicine and in the College of Engineering when he was named the university’s nineteenth president in 2003.
Skorton
earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1970 and an M.D.
in 1974, both from Northwestern University. He joined the University
of Iowa as an instructor in 1980, became an assistant professor in
internal medicine in 1981, and assistant professor in electrical
and computer engineering in 1982. He was promoted to associate professor
in 1984 and to professor in 1988.
In 1992 he was appointed vice president for research and in 2002 became vice president for research and external relations. During that time he headed a research and development program that ranked among the nation’s top twenty public research universities in obtaining external funding. His research has focused on congenital heart disease in adolescents and adults.
Skorton has also been a national leader in research ethics, having served as the charter president of the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs, Inc.
Skorton was born on November 22, 1949, and he has one son.
