Nelson Baker Wins Award for Contributions in Continuing Engineering Education
Dean of Professional Education honored for exemplary leadership, vision, and impact
Nelson Baker, Ph.D., dean of Professional Education, the lifetime learning arm of the Georgia Institute of Technology, received the 2021 Award for Individual Leadership in Continuing Education from the International Association of Continuing Engineering Education (IACEE), an international organization that supports and enhances lifelong engineering education and training around the globe.
Given in memory of Joseph M. Bidenbach, one of the three principal founders of the series of World Conferences on CEE and a founding member of IACEE, the award demonstrates Baker's world-class contributions for continuing engineering education (CEE) in the U.S. and around the world.
Presented during the virtual World Conference on Continuing Engineering Education on May 26, 2021, the award recognizes Baker's exemplary leadership, vision, and impact in the space of CEE and continuing education more generally, while showcasing his transformative impact on the profession.
Baker's leadership in CEE and continuing education spans more than 30 years. Currently, Baker serves as the secretary general and past president of the IACEE, as well as past president of the University Professional Continuing Education Association (UPCEA). Additionally, he is the past chair of the Georgia Board of Regents Administrative Committee on Public Service and Continuing Education and is an active member of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).
"Regardless of the pressures that he may be under professionally or personally in life, I have always valued how Baker bests leads through example in his wisdom and humility," noted by the award nominator. "He is the Northern Star of CEE as we head into such uncertain times."
As the dean of Professional Education and professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Baker oversees educational outreach programs and serves as the interface between Georgia Tech's professional education activities and the industries, corporations, government agencies, and professional societies that benefit form them. Under his leadership, Georgia Tech Professional Education has steadily expanded, now serving nearly 129,000 learners worldwide and 1,600 organizations each year.
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