PEERD Experts

Jacob Levin

Jacob E. Levin, PhD is Director of Research Development at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His responsibilities include leadership and coordination of large research proposals, managing internal funding programs and the campus limited submission process, securing resources and funding for faculty research programs, and serving as the Vice President for Research’s liaison to entities on and off campus. Dr. Levin is also Founder and Principal of LGG Research Strategy & Funding Services, a boutique consultancy that has worked directly with researchers and University leadership at more than three dozen institutions worldwide. Previously, he was Assoc. Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of California, Irvine, where he led a 10-member Research Development Office. Jacob is a AAAS Fellow, MIT startup founder, Founding Board Member and Past President of NORDP. He has helped secure over $1 Billion in research, training and infrastructure funding, and has spearheaded the establishment of successful research collaborations spanning all 7 continents.

Past Experience

Over the past two decades Dr. Levin has been involved in all aspects of research development and university research office operations: from opportunity identification and research team strategy to award negotiation, execution and reporting; faculty training and collaboration events; internal funding competitions; tech transfer and entrepreneurship support; Center, Institute, Facility and Research Cores; undergraduate and graduate training program establishment; government, corporate and foundation relations; institutional management and oversight. He has led multiple internal office metric and data analysis surveys, and contracted PEERD-style reviews of research offices ranging from the University of California to the University of Texas to the University of Tsukuba, Japan, including executive presentations, written reports, and other deliverables. He has published several articles on research development, and has given in-person and webinar presentations for up to 1,000 attendees on research development, research office structure and operations at the NORDP, NCURA, SRAI, SoTS, CASE and AAAS annual meetings, to academic and clinical research institutions, at funding agencies, and internationally.

NORDP Involvement

Dr. Levin has been involved in NORDP since its inception, serving on the Board for 7 years, first as Founding Vice-President and then President. In addition to co-writing the NORDP Articles of incorporation, Bylaws, 501(c)(3) documents, the NORDP Brochure, several NORDP News articles, and the Wikipedia article on research development, he has chaired the External Engagement and Strategic Alliances Committees, and served on the Professional Development and Member Services Committees, NORD, and as a NORDP Mentor. He has received the NORDP Board Service Award, and to date is the only individual who has been elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) for service to the field of research development.

Education

Dr. Levin received his BA in Physics and Math from Cornell University, an MA in Physics and a PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology from UC Berkeley, and was a Postdoctoral Fellow and Research Scientist in the MIT Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences.