Accolades: Researchers, Networks, and Prizewinning Science at Yale School of Medicine

James Comer, MD, PhD

Maurice Falk Professor in the Child Study Center; Yale School of Medicine Associate Dean for Student Affairs

In 1968, James Comer envisioned an educational program that would support children from disadvantaged backgrounds. His work resulted in the Comer School Development Program, a methodology that engages every member of a school’s community toward students’ academic success. It has since been used in over 1,000 schools in the U.S. and abroad. His research laid the groundwork for social and emotional learning, an educational approach that is widely used today.

Comer has continued to share his expertise with diverse audiences, from working with school districts to implement the School Development Program, to writing hundreds of articles for Parents magazine and consulting for the Children’s Television Workshop. His work earned him membership in the National Academy of Medicine (1993) and numerous major awards in education and behavioral science. Comer was the first Black tenured professor, full professor, and endowed professor at YSM.