Gregory Smith

Greg helps universities, academic medical centers, and research institutions strengthen research administration, research security, and regulatory compliance programs by improving operational performance and infrastructure.

Strong research compliance and administration programs create clarity and provide predictable service levels for researchers, reduce institutional regulatory and operational risk, and are scalable such that they adapt as strategic goals are met and evolve.”

About Greg

Greg provides research operations and security expertise to higher education institutions, academic medical centers, children’s hospitals, and government research entities. His work focuses on strengthening research infrastructure, modernizing operating models, and helping institutions navigate evolving federal research compliance requirements.

Greg has also led projects related to broader institutional assurance functions, directing engagements risk management, internal audit, and issue-specific resolution at the request of inside and external counsel.

With over 15 years of experience working with research-focused organizations, Greg has held leadership roles at large Office of Naval Research and the Department of Health and Human Services-cognizant public and private research universities. Greg has worked with various federal and foreign government agencies worldwide and brings deep subject matter expertise in federal grants and contracts compliance, research security, export controls, research data management, and enterprise assurance functions.

Throughout his career, Greg has:

• Led and managed multiple research security and export control engagements for public and private tier-one research (R1) universities, children’s hospitals, and government entities, strengthening oversight frameworks and operational controls.
• Conducted research organization operating model assessments and implementation projects at large Ivy League research institutions.
• Served as interim assistant vice president at a private R1 university, overseeing central pre- and post-award operations, hiring and onboarding leadership staff, and reimplementing end-to-end research administration processes.
• Directed third-party risk management and enterprise risk coordination assessments at a $1 billion semipublic research university, delivering a cross-functional road map spanning procurement, information technology, and research domains.
• Led research administration stabilization efforts at major research universities, providing interim leadership, business process redesign, and technology transformation support for central pre-award operations.
• Facilitated capacity-building initiatives for research security in collaboration with a U.S. Department of State contractor, conducting international workshops on dual-use technologies and intellectual property protection for government and university stakeholders.

Prior to joining Huron, Greg held research administration roles at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Greg earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pittsburgh. He is a certified research administrator (CRA).

Greg is a frequent speaker at national research administration and compliance conferences, including the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA), University Industry Demonstration Partnership (UIDP), and Association of University Export Control Officers (AUECO).