John Lester

John Lester is Chief Learning Officer at ReactionGrid, a software company developing 3D simulations and virtual world platforms.  His primary focus is collaborative learning, working with academic and business clients to develop immersive education environments.

From 2005-2010, John worked at Linden Lab, the creators of Second Life.  At Linden Lab he led the development of the education and healthcare markets while evangelizing the innovative use of virtual worlds in research, training and distance education.

Previously, John worked at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, creating online medical education and patient support communities while exploring the underlying neuroscience behind how people communicate and collaborate effectively.

John has a background in neuroscience research and a deep interest in how to best design and use virtual world technology to enhance education, build collaborative communities, and augment the human mind.

John is currently working on virtual world platform development in Unity3d, Opensimulator and Jibe, in addition to helping organizations with strategic planning in market development and knowledge management.

He lives and works in Montréal, Québec, Canada.