Center for Automotive Research marks silver anniversary with celebration bash
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The Ohio State University Center for Automotive Research held a celebration event October 28, 2016, marking its silver anniversary, Then, Now and Beyond: Celebrating 25 Years. The highlight of the event, held at CAR’s headquarters on Ohio State’s West Campus, was the presentation of six proclamations from Ohio government offices, honoring the center’s achievements.
Rizzoni receives FKFS Medal of Honor. Credit: Jodi MillerOver 250 guests attended the event, including industry partners, government dignitaries, university leaders and community supporters, as well as current and previous faculty, staff and students. Ceremony participants were Michael Stinziano, councilman, City of Columbus; Stephen M. White central regional director and general counsel to Senator Rob Portman; Caroline C. Whitacre senior vice president for research, Ohio State; David B. Williams, dean, College of Engineering; and Michael Bargende, professor at University of Stuttgart and member of the Executive Committee to the CAR External Advisory Board.
From laboratories to research vehicles, the center’s accomplishments were on full display. While mingling, attendees talked to current students working on the internationally-recognized student projects, such as the record-breaking Venturi Buckeye Bullet 3. Not to be missed, the university’s Brutus Buckeye mascot and a live band brought even more energy to the festivities, while guests enjoyed refreshments prepared by special friend of CAR, Chef Hubert Seifert of Spagio.
Another highlight was the first public showing of a short video describing CAR’s journey from concept to pre-eminent research center in sustainable and safe mobility. Watch here.
“The environment that has been created at CAR during its first 25 years fosters creativity and innovation, provides opportunities to enrich the education of students outside of the traditional boundaries of a university and provides fertile ground for industry and government partnership that are continuing to shape the future of the mobility industry,” says CAR Director Giorgio Rizzoni. “Together with our partners, undergraduate and graduate students at CAR are reinventing the automobile and creating a vision for the future of mobility.”
Rizzoni with Larry Kennedy, first director of CARThe Center for Automotive Research was founded in 1991 and moved to its current location at 930 Kinnear Road in 1994. The past 25 years have seen industry collaboration grow from a handful of original equipment manufacturers and suppliers to a long list of companies and government agencies that take advantage of the center’s expertise and neutrality. The most dramatic growth has been seen since 1999, when the center increased its annual operating budget tenfold to $10 million and has become the largest university-based interdisciplinary automotive research center in the United States. Learn more about CAR’s history of success here.
Proclamations presented at the 25th anniversary official ceremony:
John R. Kasich and Mary Taylor, Governor’s Office of State of Ohio
Senator Rob Portman (R-OH)
Third Congressional District of Ohio, signed by Joyce Beatty, Member of Congress, OH-03
Members of the Senate of the 131st General Assembly of Ohio, signed by Senator Keith Faber, President of the Ohio Senate; Senator Jim Hughes, 16th Senatorial District; Senator Charleta B. Tavares, Assistant Minority Leader; Senator Kevin Bacon, 3rd Senatorial District
State of Ohio House of Representative under the sponsorship of Representatives Kristin Boggs, Michael Curtin, Anne Gonzales, Heather Bishoff, Michael P. Duffey, David Leland, Cheryl L. Grossman, Stephanie Kunze, Kevin L. Boyce, Hearcel F. Craig
Columbus City Council, signed by all seven members, plus City Clerk Andrea Blevins
