Organization
Association of American Universities
Profile
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BiographyTobin L. Smith -- Tobin (Toby) Smith is Vice President for Policy at the Association of American Universities (AAU), an organization of 62 leading U.S. and Canadian research universities devoted to maintaining a strong system of academic research and education. Toby oversees and coordinates AAU’s policy and policy analysis activities including the undergraduate STEM education initiative announced by the association in September 2011. Included among his other areas are responsibility are policy and funding issues relating to innovation, competitiveness, energy, openness and security, technology transfer and research costs.
Prior to joining AAU in January 2003, Toby was the Director of Federal Relations for Research for the University of Michigan, where one of his primary responsibilities was conducting research development activities on behalf of the Vice President for Research. From 1992-1999, he served as Federal Relations Representative and Assistant Director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Washington D.C. Office. From 1988 to 1992, Toby served as a legislative assistant to Congressman Bob Traxler (D-Michigan).
Toby has written and spoken widely on science policy and funding issues. He is the co-author a book on national science policy published in 2008 by the University of Michigan Press titled, Beyond Sputnik – U.S. Science Policy in the 21st Century.
He holds a Masters Degree in Arts of Legislative Affairs from George Washington University, and a Bachelor Degree in General Studies from the University of Michigan.