On the recordJuly 25, 2012
As cochair of the Career and Technical Education Caucus, I rise to recognize Mr. Carson Baird on his retirement from Penn State University's Learning Factory. Carson Baird's background in motorsports started in racing while he proudly served in the United States Army. Following his service, he went on to hold the International Motor Sports Association Championship, three manufacturer championships, and three driver championships, having raced in classics such as the 24 hours of Daytona and the 24 hours at LeMans. Since 1994, Carson Baird has served as supervisor of the Learning Factory, supporting the mission to bring the real world into the classroom by providing engineering students with hands-on experience through industry-sponsored projects. Carson Baird helped oversee an expansion of the Learning Factory that doubled its size, and in 2006, he was part of a team honored with the National Academy of Engineering's Gordon Prize for ``Innovations in Engineering Education.'' Carson Baird has applied his motorsports background to assist nearly 700 students on 150 projects that span 13 majors and engage students in five colleges. I commend Mr. Carson Baird on his vision and dedication to tomorrow's engineers, and I wish him the best in his retirement. ____________________
