Jack R. Vinson at a UD event in 2002.

In Memoriam: Jack R. Vinson

Article by UDaily Staff Photos courtesy of the University of Delaware Archives and Records Management November 11, 2025

Pioneering UD mechanical engineer remembered for shaping the field of composite materials

A visitation will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 18, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at R.T. Foard and Jones, Inc., in Newark. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 19, at St. Thomas’s Episcopal Church in Newark.

Jack R. Vinson, H. Fletcher Brown Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering and co-founder of the Center for Composite Materials (CCM) at the University of Delaware, died on Oct. 8, 2025. He was 95.

Over the course of his career, Dr. Vinson made seminal contributions to the understanding of composite structures, particularly curved shapes known as shells and “sandwich” structures, which combine strong outer layers with a lighter core. He also studied how these materials respond under extreme forces, such as impacts and explosions.

A vision for composites

“What truly set Jack apart from others was his vision about the potential of composites,” said Suresh Advani, the Unidel Pierre S. du Pont Chair of Engineering and a longtime colleague of Dr. Vinson’s. “In 1973, he envisioned a place he called ‘an academic sandbox,’ to which people could bring their own toys and play.”

That vision became a reality the following year. Dr. Vinson and co-founders Tsu-Wei Chou, Roy McCullough and R. Byron Pipes established a center of excellence for composite materials research and education. Dr. Vinson served as CCM’s first director from 1974 to 1978. The center, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, quickly grew to become a global leader in composites research.

Jack R. Vinson

“Jack’s vision led to a world-renowned center with an extraordinary breadth and depth of capability in composites, manufacturing science and materials development,” said current CCM Director Srikanth Pilla. “I am proud to continue his legacy as we embark on the next 50 years of composites research and education.”

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Jack Vinson,” said Pamela M. Norris, dean of the College of Engineering. “Although I did not have the honor of knowing him personally, his vision and leadership helped shape our college and the global field of composite materials. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and colleagues. His legacy will continue to inspire generations of engineers.”

Building a foundation in engineering

Born in Kansas City, Missouri, on Nov. 10, 1929, to Harry Roger and Myrtle Vinson, he developed a passion for aeronautical engineering early in life, building model airplanes as a child. Dr. Vinson earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Cornell University in 1952 and went on to study theory of structures and advanced strength of materials at Cambridge University in England as a Rotary International Fellow.

In the mid-1950s, he served as an officer at the Aeronautical Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base before joining General Electric’s Missile and Space Division in Philadelphia, where he contributed to early intercontinental ballistic missile and satellite systems. While at GE, he earned his doctorate in engineering mechanics at the University of Pennsylvania in 1961. He then became vice president and senior scientist at Dyna/Structures, Inc., consulting on major aerospace projects including the Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile.

A scholar and teacher

Dr. Vinson transitioned to academia in 1964, joining UD as an associate professor. He went on to become the H. Fletcher Brown Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and served as chair of the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department from 1965 to 1979. In the late 1960s, he taught one of the first composite materials courses in the United States.

Two of Dr. Vinson’s sons graduated from the department and had the unique experience of taking their father’s classes.

“He was very passionate about teaching,” said Advani. “Students just loved taking his classes and were fully infused with his enthusiasm and optimism about composites and life.”

Jack R. Vinson congratulates James F. Kearns (class of 1950), who is being presented the Distinguished Alumnus Award, while R. Byron Pipes looks on. Photo from 1986.

A prolific scholar, Dr. Vinson authored eight textbooks and more than 400 papers exploring the behavior of composite, sandwich and thin-walled structures, as well as the high-strain-rate response of materials. His work continues to inform engineers and researchers around the globe.

“He was an exceptional teacher and motivated generations of students worldwide through his numerous textbooks to pursue their careers in composites,” said professor John W. Gillespie Jr., a former CCM director.

Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Vinson earned international recognition for his work in composite and sandwich structures. He was a Life Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and a Fellow of the American Society for Composites (ASC). He held numerous leadership roles, including chair of the ASME Aerospace Division, chair of the ASME Structures and Materials Committee and president and vice president of the ASC.

Dr. Vinson founded the Journal of Sandwich Structures and Materials and served as its editor-in-chief for more than two decades, helping establish it as a cornerstone of the composites community.

His many honors included the AIAA Award in Structural Mechanics, the ASME Centennial Medal, the ASC Technomic Award, the ASC National Distinguished Research Award, the Medal of Excellence in Composite Materials and the Office of Naval Research–AIAA Research Award.

A lasting legacy

Dr. Vinson’s passion for engineering never waned. He loved his work and was reluctant to retire, Advani recalled. Dr. Vinson thrived on collaboration with experts from around the world at CCM, often remarking that “just like composites, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”

Even after retiring from full-time academia in 2005, Dr. Vinson remained engaged in the field. As a professor emeritus, he taught four graduate courses through distance learning and mentored students around the globe. He also continued his consulting practice, Structural Mechanics Associates, advising industry and serving as an expert witness in legal cases across the country.

His impact lives on in the textbooks that continue to guide students, in the research center he helped build and in the global network of engineers and scientists shaped by his mentorship and generosity.

To celebrate his contributions and his commitment to education, the Dr. Jack Vinson Scholarship has been established to support UD mechanical engineering students who embody his spirit of curiosity, perseverance and leadership. Through this scholarship, future generations of engineers will continue to benefit from Vinson’s example and the values he championed throughout his distinguished career.

Dr. Vinson’s son, Jack Jr., reflected on his father’s steadfast character: “He was a soldier — and I mean that in the most positive way. He always looked after others and put them first. If he was asked about himself, he always had the same answer: ‘All’s well.’”

Dr. Vinson married his first wife, Trudy Hovey, in 1955, and they were together until her death in 1977. He married Midge Shore in 1983, and they shared nearly four decades together until she died in 2020. He was the proud father of seven children and cherished his many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Dr. Vinson’s life and work reflected the same balance of strength and connection he found in the materials he studied. His legacy endures in the people he taught, the ideas he advanced and the communities he helped bind together.