George William Lewis (March 10, 1882 – July 12, 1948) was the director of aeronautical research at the

National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was a United States federal agency that was founded on March 3, 1915, to undertake, promote, and institutionalize aeronautical research. On October 1, 1958, the agency was dissolved and its ...

(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, United States. Founded in 1864, with its first classes held in 1869, Swarthmore is one of the e ...

from 1910 to 1917.

Biography

In 1910, Lewis graduated from

Cornell University Cornell University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...

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. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

, 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, near the Chesapeake Bay front of Langley Air Force Base, is the oldest of NASA's field centers. LaRC has focused primarily on aeronautical research but has also ...

. During his time as director, engineers at the Langley facility were responsible for numerous advancements in the understanding of

aerodynamics Aerodynamics () is the study of the motion of atmosphere of Earth, air, particularly when affected by a solid object, such as an airplane wing. It involves topics covered in the field of fluid dynamics and its subfield of gas dynamics, and is an ...

. These achievements earned Lewis international renown, and NACA expanded from a few employees to several thousand during his tenure. Dr. Hugh L. Dryden succeeded Lewis as the director of aeronautical research at NACA. The NASA John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field in

Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–United States border, Canada–U.S. maritime border ...

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. Its first recipien ...

*1944

ASME The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is an American professional association that, in its own words, "promotes the art, science, and practice of multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences around the globe" via "continuing edu ...

Spirit of St. Louis Medal *1944 Member of the

American Philosophical Society The American Philosophical Society (APS) is an American scholarly organization and learned society founded in 1743 in Philadelphia that promotes knowledge in the humanities and natural sciences through research, professional meetings, publicat ...

*1945 Member of the United States

National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, NGO, 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 ...

*1948

Medal for Merit The Medal for Merit was the highest civilian decoration of the United States in the gift of the president. Created during World War II, it was awarded by the president of the United States to civilians who "distinguished themselves by exceptiona ...

from the

U.S. President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...

References

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