Robert B. Hardy is Director of Contracts and Intellectual Property Management at the Council on Governmental Relations (COGR; (www.cogr.edu)), an association of 182 research universities and several affiliated hospitals and research institutes. COGR focuses on the impact of government policies and regulations on university research. Mr. Hardy has lead COGR responsibility for university issues pertaining to federal contracting and technology transfer policies and regulations.

Prior to coming to COGR in April 2001, Mr. Hardy was with the National Science Foundation (NSF) for over 30 years, serving in a variety of capacities, including Special Assistant to the Director and Deputy Director of the Division of International Programs. During the last eight years of his NSF career he served as Director of the Division of Contracts, Policy and Oversight. For his service during his NSF career Mr. Hardy received NSF's highest honor, the NSF Distinguished Service Award.

While at NSF Mr. Hardy served on numerous interagency task forces and working groups. He also served as Co-Chair of the Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP) Membership Committee for Phase III of the FDP and Co-Chair of the FDP Task Force on Cost Sharing and Effort Reporting, and was a founding board member of the National Assistance Management Association (now NGMA). He has authored a number of publications on issues related to research administration, intellectual property, and government regulations that affect universities and has made many presentations to university groups such as NCURA, SRA, AUTM, NACUA and NECA.

Mr. Hardy holds a B.A. degree from Gettysburg College and J.D. from Catholic University, and is a member of the Bars of Maryland and the District of Columbia.