John Andrew “Andy” Landmesser, associate teaching professor of information sciences and technology at Penn State Brandywine, died Feb. 12.
MEDIA, Pa. — John Andrew “Andy” Landmesser, associate teaching professor of information sciences and technology at Penn State Brandywine, died Feb. 12 following a yearlong battle with cancer. He was 54.
Landmesser joined Brandywine as an assistant teaching professor in 2017. He taught courses in cybersecurity, information technology, and security and risk analysis, and he was instrumental in launching the campus’ cybersecurity analytics and operations major.
In 2022, he was named the College of Information Sciences and Technology Statewide Faculty Member of the Year, honoring his commitment to improving the lives of people in Pennsylvania, the nation and the world through integrated, high-quality programs in teaching, research and outreach.
During his tenure, he chaired Brandywine’s Academic Integrity Committee and Commission on Veteran and Military Success, served as faculty adviser for the IST/SRA Club, organized yearly Veteran’s Day events and helped establish a National Society of Leadership and Success chapter on campus.
He built and fostered a rewarding relationship with several prominent companies, including SAP, which supports Brandywine’s SAP Next-Gen Lab and provided funding for undergraduate research projects, and he led the very successful Brandywine-SAP Cybersecurity Conference on campus in fall 2022.
In September 2020, Landmesser was instrumental in organizing PwC’s Fiercest Competitor case competition at Brandywine and served as a faculty coach for numerous campus teams. He also ensured that his students participated in a variety of professional conferences.
Prior to joining Brandywine, Landmesser was an associate professor at Valley Forge Military College and he served in the U.S. Army from 1986 to 2011, retiring as a major. He frequently brought his military and industry experience into the classroom to provide students with problem-based learning examples of how cybersecurity is used in real-world scenarios.
Landmesser earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science at Drexel University, a master’s degree in computer science at Villanova University and a doctorate in information systems at Nova Southeastern University in Florida.
Brandywine Chancellor Marilyn J. Wells noted how deeply Landmesser will be missed by the community.
“Andy was a valued colleague, a trusted mentor for his students, and a respected leader in his field,” she said. “Andy was esteemed by so many across our campus community. His loss affects us all, both personally and professionally.”
Landmesser is survived by his wife of 29 years, Elaine Landmesser; their children Samantha and Anthony; his parents John and Marion Landmesser; his sisters Heidi (Landmesser) Kobusky and Ingrid (Landmesser) Chmielewski, and brother Kevin Landmesser; and many nieces and nephews.
