Marilyn Levy
Marilyn Levy, from a 1962 publication of the United States federal government
BornApril 3, 1922
New York City
DiedJune 19, 2014
Red Bank, New Jersey
Occupation(s)Chemist, inventor
Known forPhotographic research for United States Army
HonoursMeritorious Civilian Service Award (1971), Army Research and Development Achievement Award (1973)

Marilyn Levy (April 3, 1922 – June 19, 2014) was an American chemist and inventor based at Fort Monmouth. She was awarded the United States Army's Meritorious Civilian Service Award in 1971.[1]

Early life

Marilyn Levy was born in New York City, the daughter of Moses (Morris) Levy and Rachel (Rae) Levy. Both of her parents were Jewish and also born in New York. She attended Hunter College High School and Hunter College, completing a bachelor's degree in chemistry in 1942.[2] She pursued graduate studies in chemistry at the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn.[3]

Career

Beginning in 1953,[4] Levy worked as a chemist at Fort Monmouth,[5] where she "received international acclaim as a pioneer and as an expert in photographic research".[6] She held more than twenty patents on film developing processes.[1][7][8] She was head of the Photo Optics Technical Area (POTA), Combat Surveillance and Target Acquisition Laboratory, and the first woman in the United States Army Electronics Command (ECOM) to reach grade GS-15.[3][9] She retired in 1979.[10]

In 1971, Levy received the Army's Meritorious Civilian Service Award.[4][6] In 1973, she received the Army Research and Development Achievement Award.[11] She was nominated twice for the Federal Woman's Award, but did not receive that honor. She was a member of the Royal Photographic Society, the American Chemical Society,[12] and Society of Photographic Scientists and Engineers.[3][13] She served on the editorial board of the Journal of Applied Photographic Engineering and Photographic Science and Engineering.[2]

Patents

Marilyn Levy patented several photographic processes, methods, and materials during her work for the American military, including:

Personal life

A longtime resident of Little Silver, New Jersey, Levy died in 2014, aged 92 years, in Red Bank, New Jersey.[25]

References

  1. ^ a b "Army Awards Miss Levy Meritorious Civilian Medal". Asbury Park Press. 1971-06-13. p. 70. Retrieved 2021-08-24 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b New Jersey in Focus: Inventors and Innovators in Monmouth County (PDF). Monmouth County Archives. October 2017. pp. 94–95.
  3. ^ a b c "ECOM's 'First Lady' GS-15; Marilyn Levy Climaxes Research Career". Army Research and Development News Magazine. 16: 24. July 1975.
  4. ^ a b "High Honor Goes to Miss Levy". The Daily Register. 1971-06-29. p. 8. Retrieved 2021-08-24 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Four of Fort Monmouth's Many Inventors". Civil Service Journal. 3: 26. October 1962 – via Internet Archive.
  6. ^ a b "Women in Army Science... Women's Lib in Army Labs Long Predates Modern Movement". Army Research and Development News Magazine. 13: 38. September 1972.
  7. ^ "Fort Employees Get 2 Patents for Photography Development". Asbury Park Press. 1979-05-20. p. 43. Retrieved 2021-08-24 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Beardsley, Frank (1972-06-18). "Woman Speeds Color Print Processing". Asbury Park Press. p. 48. Retrieved 2021-08-24 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Chemist Earns GS-15". Asbury Park Press. 1975-06-25. p. 60. Retrieved 2021-08-24 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Retired Scientist is Honored". The Daily Register. 1979-09-27. p. 23. Retrieved 2021-08-24 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Three ECOM Employes Get Army Achievement Awards". The Daily Register. 1973-11-13. p. 12. Retrieved 2021-08-24 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Benjock, Mary Lou (1965-10-24). "Women Rank High at Army Command". Asbury Park Press. p. 17. Retrieved 2021-08-24 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Names in the News". Signals. 21: 78. April 1967.
  14. ^ US 2758028, Levy, Marilyn & Schulze, Heinz, "Photothermographic substance", issued 1955-03-08, assigned to Secretary of the Army 
  15. ^ US 2756146, Levy, Marilyn, "Sensitizer for photothermographic substances", issued 1954-07-28, assigned to Secretary of the Army 
  16. ^ US 3167429, Levy, Marilyn, "Monobaths containing sodium polyacrylate and polyvinyl-pyrrolidone", issued 1961-05-26, assigned to Secretary of the Army 
  17. ^ US 3238043, Levy, Marilyn, "Viscous processing solution", issued 1966-03-01, assigned to Secretary of the Army 
  18. ^ US 3264970, Hersh, Seymour L. & Levy, Marilyn, "Photographic processing apparatus", assigned to Secretary of the Army 
  19. ^ US 3600170, Levy, Marilyn, "Image forming material and method of forming an image therefrom", issued 1969-11-02, assigned to Secretary of the Army 
  20. ^ US 3672766, Levy, Marilyn, "Color printing method", issued 1971-04-15, assigned to Secretary of the Navy 
  21. ^ US 3953135, Levy, Marilyn & Schwartz, Milan, "Curve analysis method in color photography", issued 1975-03-04, assigned to Secretary of the Army 
  22. ^ US 4146394, Levy, Marilyn & Schwartz, Milan, "Filter pack correction method in color photography", assigned to Secretary of the Army 
  23. ^ US 4143971, Levy, Marilyn & Ball, Vincent W., "Reconnaissance/surveillance system utilizing color signature of target", published 1979-03-13, assigned to Secretary of the Army 
  24. ^ US 4264157, Levy, Marilyn & Hersh, Seymour L., "Method and apparatus for manufacturing masked motion picture film for simulated target practice", issued 1979-05-18, assigned to Secretary of the Army 
  25. ^ "In Memoriam: Marilyn Levy" (PDF). The Two River Times. July 4, 2014. p. 9. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
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