Howard Gobstein is the Executive Vice President for Research, Innovation, and STEM Education at A۰P۰L۰U. He co-directs both the Science and Mathematics Teacher Imperative (SMTI) and the Mathematics Teacher Education Partnership (MTEP). He initiated SMTI and is also responsible for university policy efforts pertaining to research, education and economic development. His past positions include associate vice president for governmental affairs and director of federal relations at Michigan State University, senior policy analyst in the Office of Science and Technology in the Executive Office of the President, and vice president and senior program officer at the Association of American Universities (AAU). Gobstein spent the first 11 years of his career designing and leading evaluations of government science programs and policies with the U.S. Government Accountability Office. He holds a master’s degree in science, technology and public policy from George Washington University and a bachelor’s in interdisciplinary engineering from Purdue University. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). He was named the distinguished alumni of 2010 by the Purdue School of Engineering Education.