Dr. Robert A. Smith is a cancer epidemiologist and Senior Vice President, Cancer Screening at the National Office of the American Cancer Society (ACS) in Atlanta, Georgia. He also is Adjunct Professor of Epidemiology at the Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University School of Medicine, and an Honorary Professor, Centre for Cancer Prevention, Wolfson Institute of Preventative Medicine at Queen Mary University of London. His primary research interests are cancer epidemiology, evaluation of cancer prevention and early detection programs, quality assurance in the delivery of health services, and cancer rehabilitation and survivorship. He received his PhD from the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 1983. Prior to joining the staff at the ACS, he held positions with the Boston University School of Public Health, and the Centers for Disease Control. At the ACS he leads the development of cancer screening guidelines, and special research and policy projects focused on cancer prevention and control. He is the author of over 300 peer-reviewed scientific articles, reports, and book chapters, and a frequent lecturer on cancer screening issues.

He serves on many international and national government and professional advisory committees and working groups, and in 2017 was a member of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Handbooks Working Group for volume 17 on Colorectal Cancer Screening. Dr. Smith was one of the founding members of the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable, and has served as its Co-Director for 20 years. He also is a founding member of the National Lung Cancer Roundtable and the Principle Investigator of the first 3-year supporting grant.

Among his honors, Dr. Smith is an Honorary Fellow of the Society of Breast Imaging; in 2004 he received the Cancer Prevention Laurel for Outstanding National Leadership from the Prevent Cancer Foundation; and in 2011 he received the Medal of Honor from the International Agency for Research on Cancer.