Mari Frank Interviews David J. Smith, National Educational Outreach Officer at the United States Institute of Peace

David J. Smith is the national educational outreach officer at the United States Institute of Peace. He coordinates institute-wide educational outreach and public programming efforts. Smith works closely with educational and professional associations, academic institutions, and public groups to promote institute objectives. He speaks frequently to community, faculty and student groups on a variety of issues including civil society and peacebuilding, child soldiers, conflict resolution education and international education. Before joining the institute in 2005, his work focused on teaching at the college and university level. As a Fulbright scholar, Smith taught peace studies and alternative dispute resolution at the University of Tartu in Tartu, Estonia. He has also taught at the undergraduate level at Harford Community College, Goucher College, Towson University, and Stevenson University, and at the graduate level at George Mason University. Through USIP, he has traveled widely around the U.S. consulting with colleges and universities on approaches to teaching peace. He has also worked in the fields of domestic and community conflict resolution, and as a practicing attorney. He has lectured on American mediator practice at Uppsala University in Sweden and the University of Jammu in India. Smith currently serves on the Rockville, Maryland Human Rights Commission and has published in the International Herald Tribune, Baltimore Sun, and Chronicle of Higher Education. Smith holds a B.A. in political science and urban affairs from the American University School of Public Affairs, an M.S. from the George Mason University Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, and a J.D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law. www.usip.org