A former University of Iowa president has been named the secretary of the Smithsonian Institute.

Skorton will replace the current secretary Wayne Clough, who will retire.

The Smithsonian consists of 19 museums and nine research facilities based around the world. Some of the more famous venues include the National Air and Space Museum, the Museum of Natural History, and the National Museum of American history.

Skorton began at the University of Iowa in 1980. He served as a professor in the Departments of Internal Medicine, Biomedical Engineering, and Electrical and Computer Engineering. He was the UI president for three years, beginning in 2003.

— by Stacey Murray