Tobin (Toby) Smith serves as Senior Vice President for Government Relations and Public Policy at the Association of American Universities (AAU), where he leads advocacy on federal policies shaping higher education, science, and innovation, and oversees AAU’s international initiatives.
Before joining AAU, Toby represented the University of Michigan and MIT in Washington. He began his career on Capitol Hill as a legislative assistant to Congressman Bob Traxler (D-MI).
A frequent speaker and writer on science policy, Toby co-authored Beyond Sputnik: U.S. Science Policy in the 21st Century. He serves on the Council of Experts for the NSF-sponsored Center for Advancing Research Impact in Society (ARIS), co-chairs the Engaging Scientists and Engineers in Policy (ESEP) coalition, and sits on the Golden Goose Award Selection Committee. He is an AAAS Fellow and former officer of AAAS’s Societal Impacts of Science and Engineering section (Section X).
Toby holds a master’s in Legislative Affairs from George Washington University and a Bachelor of General Studies from the University of Michigan. Outside of work, he’s an active volunteer with Virginia 4-H and Cooperative Extension.