Through brilliant and original theoretical work on the dynamics of ecological communities and landmark collaborations merging theory with experiment, Levin helped create a framework for studying the ecology and evolution of populations in heterogeneous environments. He is a leader in transforming ecology into a quantitative science with rigorous theoretical foundations. Members and foreign associates are elected to the Academy in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.
Election is considered one of the highest honors that can be accorded a scientist or engineer.