Kelly, Mervin J

American physicist, at Bell Laboratories from 1934, President 1951-1959. Science advisor to NASA, 1961.

Mervin J. Kelly was a long-time research physicist with Bell Telephone Laboratories, becoming director of research in 1934, vice president in 1944, and president of the organization between 1951 and 1959. His work at the laboratories focused on radar, gunfire control, and bombsights. After his retirement from Bell, Kelly was named advisor to NASA Administrator James E. Webb in 1961.