Christopher Gerrit Levey, a scientist with a passion for creating community around teaching and learning, singing, dancing, and the outdoors, died peacefully from prostate cancer on September 24th, 2024, surrounded by his loved ones.

Chris was born in Madison, Wisconsin, the son of Mary (Molly) Belt Levey and Gerrit Levey, and grew up in Berea, Kentucky. From his earliest years, he loved science and understanding how things work. He would read his Popular Mechanics magazine from cover to cover when it arrived in the mail, after finishing his homework!  He took apart -and reassembled - the family car before obtaining his learner's permit. As a rising high school senior Chris was chosen to participate in the Juneau Icefield Research Program, where he surveyed magnetic fields and mapped gravity lines, while learning to travel across the icefield.

Chris studied Physics at Carleton College and earned his PhD in Physics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1984. He loved living in Martha's Co-op and going to Folklore Village for recreation. He completed his post-doctoral research at Bell Labs, where he relished being able to answer questions related to his research from world experts just down the hall. He described "the concentration of willing brain power as amazing."

Renowned physicist and senior Bell colleague Michael Sturge encouraged Chris to come to Dartmouth. Chris loved working with students, ever seeking to find creative ways for them to learn challenging concepts. At Thayer, he became the Director of the Micro-fabrication lab, and over time advocated for the creation of physical facilities to further integration across engineering and across scientific disciplines. After he approached the Dean saying, "we have the right people and the right ideas but not the right places", Chris played a central role in the development of the MacLean Engineering Sciences Center in 2006, with an open-air glass walled atrium providing a window – literally and figuratively - into Thayer's state-of-the-art project labs. Engineering majors soared and Dartmouth responded by doubling Thayer lab space in both 2019 and then again in 2022 with Chris guiding their designs.

Chris developed integrated lab experiences to support student learning of concepts encompassing multiple scientific and engineering disciplines. He sought to encourage broad understanding of complex problems as well as collaboration across disciplines. He believed that working at the boundary of disciplines fueled innovation. Chris enjoyed international recognition for his work with the team that first developed the world's smallest untethered mobile robot, smaller than the period at the end of a sentence. He received Thayer's Outstanding Faculty Service Award multiple times and loved being a sponsor of research projects through the Women in Science Project at Dartmouth.

Chris retired in 2022 as an emeritus professor of engineering in the Thayer School at Dartmouth.

Chris had many passions. He was an avid hiker, always looking for a reason to pull on his hiking boots, whether it be for a quick jaunt up Smarts Mountain or trekking in beautiful places like Norway, Ecuador and Patagonia. Music and dancing were central to Chris's life from his earliest years. Growing up in Berea, Kentucky, home of the Christmas Country Dance School, was foundational to his involvement with English Country Dancing. Chris loved organizing and dancing at the Strafford Ball, attending Pinewoods Dance Camp, and calling dances in the Upper Valley. Chris was on the Board of the Country Dance and Song Society (CDSS), with a focus on helping young people be involved. He coached teen Morris teams for many years, and relished including his son Nacio, now an accomplished musician, in these activities.

Chris met his wife Barbara DeFelice shortly after coming to Dartmouth while seeking reference help in the science library. When they met again at a Halloween contra dance, and he proved to be a lovely waltz partner, she was smitten, and they married in 1994. They enjoyed hiking, kayaking, English Country dancing, Scandinavian dancing, and participating in Revels North performances. Chris danced "Lord of the Dance" in some of the Revels productions, and taught others to bring the magic of this dance to audiences.

Chris is survived by his wife Barbara and son Nacio, brothers Doug (Lisa) and Bryan (Lisa) and niece and nephews Cate, Meg, Skylar and Forrest.

Chris's nature is reflected in these words from a favorite song of his by Bob Franke:

"What can you do with your days but work and hope,
Let your dreams bind your work to your play.
What can you do with each moment of your life,
But love 'til you've loved it away, love 'til you've loved it away."

A Celebration of Life will be held at a date to be determined. Donations may be made in Chris's memory to the Hand to Heart Project, and/or to VNH.

Knight Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements. Condolences may be expressed in an online guestbook found at www.knightfuneralhomes.com