It is with sad hearts that we share the news that Harvey Steven Levin, PhD passed away peacefully on April 1, 2022. He was born on December 12, 1946 in New York City to Nathan and Mary Levin. A graduate of the City College of New York, he earned a doctorate in psychology at the University of Iowa under the tutelage of Arthur Benton, PhD and completed his internship in psychology at the Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago. Harvey joined the faculty at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston where he began an internationally renowned career in clinical work, teaching, and, most of all, pioneering research on brain injury. He also held positions at Baylor College of Medicine with a joint appointment at the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center. During his career, Professor Levin authored and co-authored more than 300 articles in scientific journals and numerous books that advanced knowledge of and treatments for traumatic brain injury (TBI), epilepsy, and other illnesses that affect brain functioning. He received many prestigious awards, including the American Congress of Rehabilitation Gold Key Award and Distinguished Lifetime Contribution to Neuropsychology Award from the National Academy of Neuropsychology.
In 1995, Professor Levin established the Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory (CNL) at Baylor College of Medicine’s Neurosensory Center, which was supported by federal grants, including National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CNL integrates rehabilitation and neuroplasticity research with multimodality brain imaging, cognitive psychology, and neuropsychology. CNL focuses on multidisciplinary traumatic brain injury research involving adult and pediatric populations and has pursued both observational studies and clinical trials. Other areas of research have included sports-related concussion and TBI sustained by veterans in combat. His contributions to the fields of neuropsychology, cognitive neurosciences and brain injury medicine were paramount to moving the field forward. Those of us who knew Harvey knew not only of his sharp intellect and commitment to his work but also his gusto for life including family, food and travel. He will be sorely missed by all.
Harvey is survived by his son Marc and his partner of 15 years, Ruth Buryakovsky. He was married to Ellen M. Levin, PhD from 1967 to 1996. He is also survived by his brother Arthur Levin, Ph.D,, his sister Patty Levin and nephew Alexander Setzepfandt, and cousins with whom he was close, Elaine Apter, Felice Apter and Judy Carson.
Donations can be made to the Brain Injury Association of America and World Jewish Relief Ukraine Crisis Appeal.
Nathan Zasler, M.D. and Jeffrey Kreutzer Ph.D.
Co-Editors, Brain Injury