Fred Piercy, professor of human development in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences at Virginia Tech, has been conferred the title of professor emeritus by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.

The emeritus title may be conferred on retired professors, associate professors, and administrative officers who are specially recommended to the board by Virginia Tech President Tim Sands. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board receive an emeritus certificate from the university.

A member of the university community since 2000, Piercy’s teaching and scholarship focused on marriage and family therapy education, substance abuse intervention, research methods in marriage and family therapy, and cross-national marriage and family therapy. He was the author or coauthor of more than 200 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and reviews, including outreach publications and presentations directed toward couples and families.

Piercy has been honored with prestigious professional awards, including the American Family Therapy Association Lifetime Achievement Award and the Outstanding Contribution to Marriage and Family Therapy Award from the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

He has held key leadership positions in professional organizations, including the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education. He continues to serve as editor of the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, the largest-circulation family therapy journal in the world.

In the classroom, Piercy taught both undergraduate and graduate courses on addiction, professional writing, and marriage and family therapy. He was an advisor to many doctoral students, helping them to prepare for careers in university and clinical settings.

Piercy received his bachelor’s degree from Wake Forest University, a master’s degree from the University of South Carolina, and a Ph.D. from the University of Florida.