Memorial Service

Location: St. Thomas Newark Church
Date: November 19, 2025
Time: 2:00 pm

Dr. Jack Vinson Scholarship Fund

The University of Delaware community mourns the loss of Dr. Jack Vinson, an extraordinary scholar, mentor and founding director of the Center for Composite Materials (CCM). A visionary in mechanical engineering, Dr. Vinson’s leadership and research helped make UD a global leader in advanced materials. Throughout his decades of service, Dr. Vinson inspired generations of students and colleagues through his unwavering commitment to excellence, collaboration and innovation. His passion for discovery and his deep care for students left an enduring mark on the College of Engineering.

To celebrate his remarkable contributions and continue his legacy of advancing engineering education, the Dr. Jack Vinson Scholarship has been established to support mechanical engineering students who embody his spirit of curiosity, perseverance and leadership. Your gift will help future engineers pursue their dreams and carry forward the values he championed throughout his distinguished career.

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In Memoriam: Professor Jack R. Vinson

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Professor Jack R. Vinson, a distinguished mechanical engineer, educator, and pioneering contributor to the field of composite structures.

Born in Kansas City, Missouri, on November 10, 1929, Professor Vinson’s lifelong dedication to engineering excellence profoundly shaped the composites community.

Professor Vinson earned his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at Cornell University, followed by a Rotary International Fellowship at Cambridge University, England, where he studied Theory of Structures and Advanced Strength of Materials. He later earned a PhD in Engineering Mechanics from the University of Pennsylvania.

Before joining the University of Delaware, he served as an officer at the Aeronautical Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson AFB and worked at the General Electric Missile and Space Division on the first ICBM and early satellite systems. He then became Vice President and Senior Scientist at Dyna/Structures, Inc., where he consulted on the Minuteman ICBM, before transitioning to academia.

Professor Vinson joined the University of Delaware in 1964 as an Associate Professor and went on to become H. Fletcher Brown Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. He served as Chairman of the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department from 1965 to 1979. He was a co-founder and the first Director of the Center for Composite Materials (CCM) from 1974 to 1978. He also taught one of the first U.S. courses on composite materials in the late 1960s. Upon his retirement in 2005, he was named Professor Emeritus, continuing to teach four graduate courses via long-distance learning and mentoring students worldwide.

A prolific scholar, Professor Vinson authored eight seminal textbooks and over 400 publications on composite, sandwich, and thin-walled structures, as well as on the high-strain-rate response of materials. He founded the Journal of Sandwich Structures and Materials and served as Editor-in-Chief for more than two decades, fostering scholarship and collaboration in the composite’s community.

His distinguished career was recognized with many prestigious honors, including the AIAA Award in Structural Mechanics (1977), the ASME Centennial Medal (1981), the ASC Technomic Award (1998), his service as President of the American Society for Composites (1998-1999), his role as Co-Chair of the Sixth International Conference on Sandwich Constructions (2003), the ASC National Distinguished Research Award (2007), and the 2021 Medal of Excellence in Composite Materials. He was a Life Fellow of ASME, Fellow of AIAA, and Fellow of ASC, and also served as Chair of the ASME Aerospace Division, twice chaired the ASME Structures and Materials Committee, and was an Associate Editor of the AIAA Journal.

Even after retirement, Professor Vinson continued his lifelong engagement through his consulting practice at Structural Mechanics Associates, providing expertise to industry and serving as an expert witness in legal cases nationwide.

“Professor Vinson lived a full and rich life, balancing his dedication to engineering, teaching, and research with personal pursuits, friendships, and family,” CCM Director Srikanth Pilla said. “The University of Delaware Center for Composite Materials and the international composites community mourn the loss of an exceptional scholar and teacher whose impact will endure for generations to come. Professor Vinson’s legacy lives on through his groundbreaking contributions to composite structural mechanics, his students who continue to carry his influence forward, and the global network of engineers and scientists who benefited from his mentorship and scholarship.”

Reflections from Current and Former CCM Colleagues

“Dr. Vinson hired me into the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department at the University of Delaware in 1969, when he was the chairman of the Department. In the fall of 1969, Dr. Vinson offered the first course in composite structures at Delaware. It was through his encouragement that I gave a composite materials course the following semester. That humble beginning has led to our cooperation in book writing, in research, and most importantly in the development of undergraduate and graduate curriculum in composites at Delaware. I also recall that early in 1974, one day Dr. Vinson stopped me in the hallway as he usually did to discuss with his colleagues about matters concerning the Department. It was one of the ways Dr. Vinson used effectively for his open communication with the faculty before the days of e-mail and the Internet. On that day, Dr. Vinson shared with me his idea of forming a center of composite materials. I was happy with what I was doing then and really did not get very excited about this idea. Obviously, I was unable to envision the significance of Dr. Vinson’s idea which has had the most profound impact on our College of Engineering over the past quarter of a century. It is, indeed, my privilege to know Dr. Vinson as an outstanding teacher and researcher, an admired colleague, a trusted friend and a person with a big heart.”

–Prof. Tsu-Wei Chou

“Prof. Vinson was a pioneer in the research and development of educational materials in laminated plates and shells. He was an exceptional teacher and motivated generations of students worldwide through his numerous textbooks to pursue their careers in composites.”

–Prof. John W. Gillespie Jr.

“He was a luminary and a visionary whose boundless optimism and genuine kindness inspired everyone around him to believe in a brighter future. He had a special relationship with students, mentoring them to grow in confidence with purpose and curiosity.”

–Prof. Suresh Advani

“Jack Vinson was the visionary who conceived of a center of excellence in composite materials and structures at the University of Delaware. He was instrumental in assembling the four founders of the Center for Composite Materials and serving as its founding director. The extraordinary success of CCM in the past fifty years grew from his original vision. We owe Jack Vinson a debt of gratitude for all he did to make his vision a reality.”

–Prof. R. Byron Pipes

University of Delaware Alumni Weekend, CCM Alumni Picnic

Achievement in Composite Excellence (ACE) Awards

Innovation in Motion: 2024 Recap

Take a look back at an incredible year of innovation, achievement, and collaboration at the Center for Composite Materials. Innovation in Motion 2024 highlights groundbreaking research, impactful partnerships, and the remarkable contributions of our faculty, students, and industry collaborators. Join us in celebrating the milestones that made 2024 unforgettable and inspire the future of composites.