Nyman Levin

Nyman Levin (17 February 1906 – 25 January 1965) was a British physicist who was Director of the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment from 1959 to 1965.

Personal Nyman Levin was born in London, the son of Leibisch Levin and Annie Levene; there was one brother, Barnett, and several half-siblings, Annie, Fanny, Solomon and Mary. He married Dora and the couple had three children.

Education Levin attended the Central Foundation Boys' School, where he specialised in physics. For four years after leaving school, he went to evening classes at Sir John Cass' College while working in the family firm. His studies continued with a London County Council scholarship to Imperial College.

Career He joined Marconi's in 1930, to work on optical systems for television; after five years on the task and the award of his PhD, he switched to klystrons and UHF and centimetre waves. At the outbreak of World War II, Levin was recruited into military research and made a "significant contribution" to the development of radar, at the H H Wills Physics Laboratory at the University of Bristol. His government records are still secret fifty years after his death.

Death Nyman Levin died on 26 January 1965 in London of a heart attack, a week after being appointed as a member of the Atomic Energy Authority.