The Georgia Tech community was saddened to learn of the passing of distinguished alumnus Captain Alan G. Poindexter in a tragic watercraft accident in Florida on July 1.

Born in Pasadena, California, on November 5, 1961, Poindexter gradauted from Gerogia Tech with a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering with the highest honors in 1986.  Following graduation he was commissioned in the United States Navy where he became a Naval Aviator in 1988.  Poindexter served two tours in the Arabian Gulf as part of Operations Desert Storm and Southern Watch and was selected to attend the Naval Postgraduate School/U.S. Naval Test Pilot School Cooperative Program where he earned a master of science in aeronautical engineering.  As an aviator Poindexter logged more than 4,000 hours in over 30 different aircraft while completing 450 aircraft carrier landings.

Poindexter was recruited by NASA for astronaut training in 1998 and initially served in the Astronaut Office Shuttle Operations Branch performing duties as the lead support astronaut at Kennedy Space Center.  He was a veteran of two space flights, serving as pilot on STS-122 in 2008 and as commander of STS-131 in 2010.

After his departure from NASA in December 2010, Poindexter returned to the Navy and assumed duties as the Dean of Students and Commanding Officer of the Student Element at the Naval Postgraduate School.

Captain Poindexter is survived by his two sons and his wife Lisa.