In another life, John Lewin was a spy.
Well, technically, he worked on spy satellites. In 1983, equipped with a degree in physics from Harvard, Lewin helped launch the very first digital spy satellite while working at Kodak.
"Back then, satellites were a huge secret," said Lewin, now an associate professor of radiology and biomedical imaging at Yale School of Medicine (YSM). "We weren't even allowed to say we had spy satellites, even though it was well known that we spied with satellites. That fact was an official secret until President Bill Clinton declassified it in 1995. Now, there's a spy satellite exhibit at the Smithsonian."
With his experience in imaging, Lewin eventually pivoted from spy satellites to studying radiology at medical school. By a twist of fate, he started researching digital mammography, which happened to use the same scanning technology as the spy satellites.
Today, Lewin is the division chief of breast imaging at YSM where he provides comprehensive care through breast imaging, including mammography, which helps in the early detection and management of breast cancer.
