John T. Bruer was appointed president of the James S. McDonnell Foundation from 1986 to 2014. Professor Bruer is author of Schools for Thought: A Science of Learning in the Classroom (MIT Press, 1993), which explains in clear, straight-forward language why extending and applying the research base for education must be an integral component of any serious attempt at school reform. Schools for Thought was awarded the 1993 Quality in Educational Standards Award by the American Federation of Teachers and the 1994 Charles S. Grawemeyer Award in Education by the University of Louisville. This work is the basis for a collaboration, including educators and researchers in six North American cities, to develop a research-based middle school curriculum. John’s latest book also concerns an educational subject. The Myth of the First Three Years: A New Understanding of Early Brain Development and Lifelong Learning debunks many popular beliefs about the all-or-nothing effects of early experience on a child’s brain and development urging parents and decision-makers to consider for themselves the evidence for lifelong learning opportunities. Dr. Bruer was one of the original creators of the LASchool initiative.