Joel S. Levine

Dr. Levine was Senior Research Scientist in the Science Directorate at the NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, from June 1970 until his retirement in July 2011. Dr. Levine was hired by NASA Langley to develop models of the upper atmosphere of Mars for the Viking Project Scientist for the entry, descent and landing (EDL) of the world’s first successful soft-landing of an operational probe on the surface of Mars, the Viking Lander 1 on July 20, 1976. Dr. Levine was detailed to NASA Headquarters as Mars Scout Program Scientist in the Mars Exploration Program (2007-2009). At NASA Headquarters, he also served as Co-Chair of the Human Exploration of Mars Science Analysis Group (HEM-SAG) of the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG).

 On June 1, 2017, during the Centennial Anniversary of the NASA Langley Research Center, Dr. Levine was inducted into the NACA/NASA Langley Research Center Hall of Honor. Dr. Levine is one of the 37 NACA/NASA Langley Research Center researchers covering a period of 100 years inducted in the Hall of Honor and is the youngest member in the Hall of Honor.

In 1990, while working for NASA, Levine was appointed Adjunct Professor and head of the Atmospheric Sciences Track within the Applied Science Program at William & Mary. Levine taught evening graduate courses in Atmospheric Science, Atmospheric Chemistry, Planetary Science and Climate Science and Policy. Upon his retirement from NASA in 2011, Dr. Levine was appointed Research Professor in the Applied Science Department.

Education

B.S. in Physics, Brooklyn College, City University of New York, 1964

M.S. in Meteorology, New York University, 1967

M.S. in Aeronomy and Planetary Science, the University of Michigan, 1973

Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science, the University of Michigan, 1977

Publications and Talks: Dr. Levine has authored or co-authored more than 175 journal articles, scientific reports and book chapters and has edited five books. Dr. Levine has given more than 250 technical presentations at U. S. and foreign scientific meetings and conferences and has edited 5 books on atmospheric chemistry, planetary science, global climate change and global fires and preparing for the human exploration of Mars.

Books Edited

Levine, Joel S.: The Photochemistry of Atmosphere: The Earth, The Other Planets, and Comets. Academic Press, Inc., Orlando, Florida, 518 pages, 1985.

Levine, Joel S.: Global Biomass Burning: Atmospheric, Climatic, and Biospheric Implications. The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 569 pages, 1991.

Levine, Joel S.: Biomass Burning and Global Change, Volume 1. Remote Sensing, Modeling and Inventory Development, and Biomass Burning in Africa. The MIT Press, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, 582 pages, 1996.

Levine, Joel S.: Biomass Burning and Global Change, Volume 2. Burning in South America, Southeast Asia, and Temperate and Boreal Ecosystems, and the Oil Fires of Kuwait. The MIT Press, Inc., 377 pages, 1996.