JPL’s Magellan Award-Winning Dr. Marie Levine Named by Congressman Adam Schiff As a ‘Woman of the Year’

Congressman Adam Schiff on Friday announced JPL’s Dr. Marie Levine has been selected with fifteen other remarkable women to become a 2023 Woman of the Year from California’s 30th district.

These women have made significant contributions to their communities through civic engagement, community service, and leadership in their respective fields. 

“The sixteen 2023 Woman of the Year honorees are an inspiration to their communities for their passion and dedication to service. As artists, engineers, entertainers, surgeons, bakers, and beyond, these women are not just leaders in their fields of work but in their communities, making our home a better place for all,” said Schiff.

Dr. Marie Levine, a French-born engineer, moved to Pasadena in 1982 to attend Caltech. She received her master’s and PhD in engineering and joined NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) after graduation.

Dr. Levine has worked on several notable projects at JPL, including the development of extreme precision space telescopes and observatories for NASA’s Astrophysics Mission Directorate. She was the lead for the Integrated Modeling of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), and received JPL’s coveted Magellan Award in recognition of her work.

She is also an active resident of Pasadena. She has worked with the City’s Water and Power department to create a demonstration drought-tolerant garden at Sheldon reservoir.

Schiff described Dr. Levine as a passionate advocate for science and education. She is a role model for young women and girls who are interested in pursuing careers in STEM fields.

Schiff will celebrate the honorees at a private luncheon this summer. Schiff annually selects women who have made outstanding contributions to their communities to honor as Women of the Year. Any resident of the 30th Congressional District is eligible, and Schiff seeks nominations from the public.

The other 2023 honorees are Barbara Monderine-Williams (Atwater Village), Isabel Omero (Burbank), Rhonda Reynolds (Echo Park), Maria Herrera (Elysian Valley), Dr. Christina Ashjian Garabedian (Glendale), Carolyn Ramsay (Hancock Park), Dr. Joanna Chikwe (Hollywood Hills), Alexa Skarpelos (Hollywood), Delores Shine Kerr (Miracle Mile/Mid-Wilshire), Patricia Lombard (Larchmont Village), Barbara Howell (Los Feliz), Chanchanit Martorell (Park La Brea), Barbara Kwong (Silver Lake), Evelyn Serrano (Sunland/Tujunga), and Barbara Meltzer (West Hollywood).