简介

Prior to joining MSU, Dr. Baird was on the faculty at Clemson University from 1989 to 2009. He taught a broad range of courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels and engaged stakeholders in numerous research and demonstration projects, most notably on environmental stress of horticultural crops as diverse as peaches and turfgrass. His research on genetic analysis of agricultural crops focuses on nuclear genome organization, gene expression and the molecular basis for tolerating environmental stress (e.g., drought, salinity, low temperatures and exogenous chemicals/herbicides). His research program was funded through extramural sources such as the USDA, US-AID, NSF, NATO and USGA. His work contributed to the development of a core molecular genetic map of the Prunus genome, and the creation of plant transformation vectors (based upon mechanisms other than antibiotic selection). He has been an invited speaker at numerous symposia in the United States and abroad, and he has authored, co-authored or edited seven book chapters, a book on the cytoskeleton, more than 50 peer-reviewed publications, and over 30 proceedings and trade journal articles. He has received numerous honors for his research and teaching during his more than 20-year career at Clemson, including being named an Alumni Distinguished Professor in 2006 and receiving the Award for Faculty Excellence from the Clemson University Board of Trustees in 2004, 2007 and 2008. He also received the Margaret Menzel award from the Botanical Society of America, the Ulysses P. Hedrick award from the American Pomological Society and the Outstanding Graduate Educator award from the American Society for Horticultural Science.