Lew received his Ph.D. in Theoretical Plasma Physics from UCLA. He worked (1960-65) at the U.S. Naval Ordnance Test Station in Pasadena; taught at UCLA (1965-70); and then joined the fusion program in Oak Ridge. From 1995 until his retirement in 2001 he was an Engineering Analyst with Lockeed Martin Energy Systems in Oak Ridge. Hedrick Hall at UCLA is named in honor of his grandfather, Earl Hedrick, who was a professor and provost there.

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