CAR, College of Engineering receive donation of antique scientific equipment and rare collection of working model engines from Reid Family Foundation

The Center for Automotive Research is grateful to have recently received an assortment of treasured antiquities from the Reid Family Foundation, which is based in Waterford, Michigan. The donation includes antique surveying equipment, antique microscopes and the complete volume set of the historic Automobile Quarterly publication.

In addition to the antique paraphernalia, the donation also features a rare collection of six working engine models that date back to the 1930s. The engines include an Emil Hohm driving school instructional scale model in addition to cut-away instructional models, which were built in Germany during the 1930s and 1950s, respectively. These engines were commonly used in training vehicles for students learning how to operate a car.

Glenn Reid, the foundation’s namesake, was an industrial engineering alumnus at Ohio State. His daughter, Sheri Reid Grant, has memories of her father recounting his great experience at Ohio State. In her gracious donation, she hopes that her father’s legacy will be preserved on campus.

The Reid Family Foundation’s contributions to the Center for Automotive Research have not only enabled students and faculty members to take a look back into history, but have also enhanced opportunities for students to achieve higher education. With continual scholarship offerings, the foundation ensures that students with engineering interests are offered the chance to explore them further.

“Overseeing these donations is the least I can do for the university that set my father up for his success,” Grant said. “It was on this campus that he discovered his passion for engineering—our foundation’s goal is to give others the chance to experience the same thing.”

The Reid Family Foundation has also provided funding for the center’s first ever Motorsports Capstone Design Course, which provides students the chance to conduct ambitious design-build-test projects.

“Glenn was a great man who attributed his success to his willingness to work with his hands,” said David Emerling, industry liaison director of CAR. “He wanted to share his passion through this foundation, which has since opened a number of doors for students who might otherwise not be able to pursue an engineering path.

The Reid Family Foundation’s support is widespread on campus. In addition to their donations to CAR, the foundation has donated antique surveying equipment to the Knowlton School of Architecture. Their contributions have also included antique microscopes that will soon be housed at Ohio State’s Center for Electron Microscopy and AnalysIS (CEMAS)

“It’s been a true pleasure being able to give back to this university,” Grant said. “It would have made my father extremely happy to see his donations put to use on campus.”