John Pinel, the author of Biopsychology, obtained his PhD from McGill University in Montreal. He worked briefly at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before taking up his current position at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. Professor Pinel is an award-winning teacher and the author of over 200 scientific papers; however, he feels that Biopsychology is his major career-related accomplishment. "It ties together everything that I love about my job: students, teaching, writing, and research."
When asked about his personal interests, Professor Pinel speaks glowingly of his partner, Maggie, and son, Greg. The high quality of the illustrations in Biopsychology is largely attributable to the effort and talents of Maggie, who is an artist and technical writer. Greg is currently completing his PhD at the London School of Economics, specializing in social and educational programs for indigenous peoples.
"I get most of my exercise by rehearsing and performing West African drum rhythms," Professor Pinel says. "For a peak mental and physical experience, a bit of Kpanlogo with my friend, Nigerian drum master Kwasi Iruoje is hard to beat." Most of Professor Pinel's relaxation comes from cuddling his cats, Sambala, Rastaman, and Squeak.