George William Lewis (March 10, 1882 – July 12, 1948) was the Director of Aeronautical Research at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) until he retired in 1947. He taught at

Swarthmore College Swarthmore College ( , ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1864, with its first classes held in 1869, Swarthmore is one of the earliest coeduca ...

from 1910 to 1917.

Biography

In 1910, George Lewis graduated from Cornell University with a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering and proceeded to teach at

until 1917. He became involved in aircraft engines which led to his membership in NACA's Power Plants Subcommittee. In 1919, he was appointed as NACA's first Executive Officer. Five years later, he was named as the Director of Aeronautical Research, a position he held until his retirement. During those years, Lewis was stationed in Washington, D.C. to handle many of NACA's political and bureaucratic issues. At the same time, he oversaw research advancements and technical publications at NACA's

Langley Research Center The Langley Research Center (LaRC or NASA Langley), located in Hampton, Virginia, United States of America, is the oldest of NASA's field centers. It directly borders Langley Air Force Base and the Back River on the Chesapeake Bay. LaRC has fo ...

. During his time as director, engineers at the Langley facility were responsible for numerous advancements in the understanding of aerodynamics. These achievements earned Lewis international renown and NACA expanded from a few employees to several thousand during his tenure.

Dr. Hugh L. Dryden Hugh Latimer Dryden (July 2, 1898 – December 2, 1965) was an American aeronautical scientist and civil servant. He served as NASA Deputy Administrator from August 19, 1958, until his death. Biography Early life and education Dryden was born in ...

succeeded Lewis as the Director of Aeronautical Research at NACA. The NASA John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field in

Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

is partly named after him.

Awards and Honors

*1936

Daniel Guggenheim Medal The Daniel Guggenheim Medal is an American engineering award, established by Daniel and Harry Guggenheim. The medal is considered to be one of the greatest honors that can be presented for a lifetime of work in aeronautics. Recipients have included ...

*1944 ASME Spirit of St. Louis Medal *1944 Member of the American Philosophical Society *1945 Member of the United States

National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the Nati ...

*1948 Medal for Merit from the U.S. President

External links

NASA biography of G. W. LewisNational Academy of Sciences Biographical Memoir
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, George W. 1882 births 1948 deaths Cornell University alumni Medal for Merit recipients American aerospace engineers Engineering educators Aerodynamicists Members of the American Philosophical Society