Ilya was a refusnik in Russia, when a U of Texas professor discovered him. He was ultimately accepted to the PhD. program at U of Texas and became Dr. Levin and a career diplomat for the U.S. Foreign Service. He ultimately served in Russia as a U.S. Diplomat and was featured in a Russian newspaper as the inventor of “Horseradish” Vodka. Don’t laugh, it is delicious. Ultimately, he served in the U.S. Embassy in Asmara, Eritrea, where I served as a Fulbright Senior Scholar in 2002. He was such a perfect liaison for me with the Embassy and such a delightful person. He has since retired. We have maintained a long distance friendship over the years. He meant a great deal to me in my Fulbright experience.