Flow Resolution

In Memoriam: Geoffrey Andrews

August 6, 2025 by J. Poggie

Geoffrey M. Andrews (1994-2025) was a 2022 doctoral graduate from my research group. His dissertation topic addressed the effect of freestream noise on hypersonic laminar-turbulent transition using direct numerical simulation. Comparing to experiments in AEDC VKF Tunnel B by Stetson et al. (AIAA 1991-1639), his simulations accurately predicted transition to turbulence in Mach 8 flow over a 7 deg half-angle cone. Andrews' work was a strong contribution to the understanding of hypersonic transition. His results make existing, conventional hypersonic wind tunnels more useful by allowing better interpretation of experimental data.

Andrews was a very successful engineer and researcher. He received external recognition from a number of institutions. Perhaps the most notable is his recognition in 2017 by Aviation Week and Space Technology as one of “Tomorrow’s Engineering Leaders: The 20 Twenties.” He had ambitious goals. The article quotes him as saying: “Our history as a species has always been one of exploration and of survival, so our future will be bleak indeed if we remain confined to our home planet.”

Among other adventures, Andrews braved the COVID-19 epidemic from March through June 2020 to visit the von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics in Belgium to study linear stability theory. After graduation in 2022, Andrews worked at MIT Lincoln Laboratory in the Structural and Thermal-Fluids Engineering group. He also taught a course in hypersonic aerodynamics at Lehigh University as a visiting lecturer.

Geoffrey's interests extended far beyond the technical. He was involved in K-12 outreach with AIAA. He was also an accomplished musician: he played horn and piano, and was involved in the orchestra, wind ensemble, and marching band while an undergraduate at Lehigh University.

Geoffrey was also a pilot; he took acrobatic flying lessons as graduate student. He is on the right (with a tie, as always) in the picture above, taken in 2018 when he took a group of graduate students out for a flight in his small airplane. Flying was one of his great passions.

Unfortunately, Geoffrey Andrews died in an airplane crash on June 19, 2025. This is a great loss. I have encountered few such talented, enthusiastic, and well-rounded individuals in many years of experience in mentoring young researchers. Geoffrey will be greatly missed by his many friends and colleagues.