Get to know Dr. Corey Carbonara, Baylor Master Teacher

Earning the designation as a Master Teacher is a rare honor, one of the highest a Baylor professor can receive. Last month, Baylor President David Garland announced that three Baylor professors had earned the title, increasing the roll of Master Teachers who had earned this designation to 26 since the honor was first bestowed 34 years ago.

One of the three is Dr. Corey Carbonara, professor of film and digital media (FDM), a longtime Baylor professor and industry leader in the field of digital technology. For Baylor FDM students, an audience with Carbonara has long been a chance to learn from someone who has actively shaped the field they study.

Carbonara first came to Baylor as a lecturer in 1983 with a reputation as a visionary thinker in the world of technology. He shaped the future of digital television when he served as the first product manager of high-definition systems at Sony before coming to Baylor; prior to that, he served in management and executive positions at companies like Columbia Pictures and Motorola.

What has stood out to the students in his three-plus decades as a teacher is his ability to translate complex ideas into lessons they can understand. His genuine passion for media and digital technology (and the role they can play in the lives of individuals) comes through in each and every class he teaches. (I got to experience this firsthand when I had Dr. Carbonara back in 2003.)

The Master Teacher designation is the latest in a long line of awards for Carbonara. He has been appointed to many of the top panels and committees in his field, with organizations like the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE). For his key role in the development of high definition television, he was awarded membership in the Academy of Digital Television Pioneers. And it was just three years ago that we featured him here for winning the Nat Tiffen Award as the top educator in cinematography.

“Baylor is such a great place to teach and fosters the climate to be passionate about teaching,” Carbonara says. “We have the best students, faculty and staff that constantly create this climate. Seeing our students go on after graduation and do such great things in the field is a reward in itself. To think I may have had a hand in helping them is to give glory to God since my prayer is always to ask for His grace to allow me to try and be the best teacher I can for my students.”

Sic ’em, Dr. Carbonara!

You might also like:

* Get to know Dr. Gaynor Yancey, Master Teacher (Oct. 2016)

* Get to know Dr. Laine Scales, Baylor Master Teacher (Sept. 2016)

* Professors as mentors — a Baylor tradition since 1845 (Oct. 2014)

* Prof joins rare club after 55 years teaching at Baylor (June 2014)