The German Academic Exchange Service [Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD)] has selected Haroldo Toro, D.V.M., Ph.D., of the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine to serve as a research ambassador for study and research in Germany for the 2012-13 academic year. Dr. Toro is a professor of avian diseases in the Department of Pathobiology.

“We at DAAD are very happy and thankful Dr. Toro’s experiences in Germany have inspired him to dedicate his time and energy toward spreading the word about research and study in Germany and fostering among his colleagues and students a deeper understanding of the country, its people, and the academic opportunities it offers,” said Amra Dumisic of DAAD New York.

With scholarships awarded by DAAD, he performed six months training in 1980 at the College of Veterinary Medicine of Hannover and Ph.D. graduate studies during 1984 and 1987 at the Justus Liebig University in Giessen. Between 1988 and 2002 while working at the University of Chile, he received research grants from the German agencies GTZ (Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit) and the Volkswagen Foundation. During this period Dr. Toro also served as a search panel member for DAAD scholarship candidates organized through the German Embassy and the Goethe Institute in Santiago.

Prior to becoming a research ambassador for the German agency, Dr. Toro will attend a research ambassadors training session Aug. 16-18 in New York City.

The German Academic Exchange Service is a private, publicly funded, self-governing organization of higher education institutions in Germany. DAAD promotes international academic relations and cooperation by offering mobility programs primarily for students and faculty, but also for administrators and others in the higher education realm.

Contact: Tara Lanier, 334-844-3698, tara.lanier@auburn.edu