Professor Rao was born in Dornakal, A. P. India on July 4, 1937. He studied chemical engineering at Osmania University, India, where he received his B.S. in 1958 and M.Tech. in 1959. After graduation, he was a lecturer in chemical engineering at the same university, from 1959 to 1961. He then came to the U.S. where he completed the M.S. degree in chemical engineering at The University of Cincinnati in 1963. He worked as a research associate in Ohio at the Aerospace Research Laboratories of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, from 1963 to 1965. He then completed his Ph.D. in chemical engineering at Ohio State University in 1969. Professor Rao worked in research and development at American Standard Inc., in New Brunswick, New Jersey., as a project engineer in the heat transfer and plastic processing section from 1960 to 1971. During this assignment, he conducted his initial work on liquid flow and developed his interest in rheology. At that time, a former OSU professor introduced him to Jan, a high school librarian, whom he married on July 25, 1970, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The following year he moved to Campinas, Brazil as professor of food engineering, where he headed the Food Engineering Department at the University of Campinas from 1971 to 1973, where his son, Hari, was also born. Professor Rao came to Cornell University as an assistant professor in the Department of Food Science and Technology at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, New York, on August 15, 1973. He was recruited to address the needs of the New York State food processing industry to assist food manufacturers with improved techniques for food preservation. Dr. Rao initiated projects on energy conservation in commercial canning and freezing, heat transfer, and the deformation and flow of liquid foods. Dr. Rao was promoted to associate professor with tenure in 1978, in recognition of his research on energy consumption patterns in M.A. (Andy) Rao July 4, 1937 – July 30, 2022 processing plants, how energy use might be improved, and the economics of energy conservation measures such as insulation, heat recovery, and replacing energy intensive processing equipment. He also made significant contributions to improving manufacturing processes for juice, wine, and purees. He was promoted to full professor in 1986 after demonstrating excellence in the field of food engineering, continuing his research on food rheology and energy conservation. He co-edited with Professor Downing in 1979 “A Handbook for Energy Conservation in Food Canning Plants”, a publication from the U.S. Department of Energy. He also edited with Professor Rizvi the book “Engineering Properties of Foods” in 1985 (now in its 4th edition) and published two book chapters in 1985. Most notably, Dr. Rao helped develop the "Vane Method" measurement of yield stress for a variety of food products, which is a standard measurement tool used by the food industry today. Professor Rao had a prolific and impactful tenure at Cornell. He published over 100 papers and technical communications, which facilitated the implementation of his recommendations by the food processing industry. He also wrote several book chapters and edited food engineering books. Based on his vast experience in rheology, he authored in 1999 the popular book “Rheology of Fluid and Semisolid Foods – Principles and Applications”. The book was expanded in the third edition as “Rheology of Fluid, Semisolid, and Solid Foods – Principles and Applications”, published in 2014. Professor Rao was also very active as a scientific editor for peer reviewed journals such as J. Food Science, J. Texture Studies, J. Food Process Engineering, Food Science & Technology International, J. Food Quality, J. Food Science & Technology, International J. Food Properties, and Food Hydrocolloids. He was elected a Fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists in 1997, in recognition of the significant contributions he made to the study of rheological properties of foods, thermal processing of foods and evaporation of fruit juices. Dr. Rao stated that “My election as an IFT Fellow is a reflection of the hard work of many graduate students and visiting scientists, and Herb Cooley, research technician”. He was an excellent and appreciated mentor to graduate students and international visitors who conducted research in his lab. He traveled all over the world attending meetings, giving papers, and teaching short courses. He was awarded two Fulbright-Hays Senior Research Scholarships scholar, one at the Instituto de Tecnologia de Alimentos, Campinas, Brazil in 1980, and the second at the Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Catholic University of Portugal, in 1988. He actively supported and promoted food engineering through cooperative professional teaching and research activities in Brazil, India, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal, and Thailand. Professor Rao became emeritus professor in December of 2004, but continued to do editorial work for many years. He also worked at Massey University in New Zealand for two months each of five years from 2007 to 2011. Over his long professional career, he received numerous awards including: • International Association of Engineering and Food: Life Achievement Award 2011 • Honorary Member, Brazilian Association of Rheology (ABR) 2011 • Fellow of IAFoST 2010 • IAFIS/FPEI-ASAE Distinguished Food Engineering Award 2003 • Scott Blair Award for Excellence in Rheology, AACC 2000 • Fellow of the Association of Food Scientists and Technologists (India) 2000 After retirement, from 2005 to 2020, he spent winters at his condo in Deerfield Beach, Florida, where he spent time with his wife, son, and his son’s family, including, Andy's only grandchild, Charlotte Lakshmi Rao. He was predeceased by his parents; stepmother; and four sisters in India; and by his parents- inlaw; and a brother-in-law in Pittsburgh. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Jan; son, Hari; daughter-in-law, Heather; and granddaughter, Charlotte. He is also survived by three sisters, two brothers, and numerous nieces and nephews in India and the U.S. He will be forever remembered as one of the pre-eminent food engineers in the U.S. and in the world. Written by Olga I. Padilla-Zakour and Carmen I. Moraru