Shawn Boles is an Associate Scientist Emeritus at ORI and Senior Research Associate, Emeritus at the Center on Human Development, University of Oregon. He received his A.B. degree in Psychology from Oglethorpe University in 1965, followed by two years teaching general science as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines. He returned from that endeavor to attend Georgia State University, receiving his Ph.D. in 1971 in Experimental Psychology (Mathematical Learning Theory) with a minor in Philosophy of Science. 

Following a year as Chair of the Psychology Department at Oglethorpe University, he moved to applied research in Human Services settings—initially at the Georgia Retardation Center and then at the University of Oregon’s Center on Human Development, where he developed, evaluated, and disseminated residential, school, and vocational models for citizens with Developmental Disabilities. He was also a member of the University Creativity Research Group. 

Over the past three decades at ORI, he served as co-investigator of research studies focused on assessing the impact of behavior change programs in public health and educational settings. He also served two terms as a Eugene, Oregon, City Councilor. 

In retirement, he studies contributions of the social sciences to achieving sustainable practices and writes the occasional haiku.