Dr. Lewis Joel Perelman of Lake Ridge, VA, passed away peacefully on March 10, 2025, at the age of 79 from Parkinson’s disease. A rare blend of scholar, visionary, and pragmatist, Dr. Perelman devoted his career to advancing innovation, sustainability, and resilience as an author, consultant, analyst, and teacher.

His first book, The Global Mind (Mason/Charter, 1976)—named one of the year’s best scientific-technical books by Library Journal—anticipated the transformative effects of the global Internet and World Wide Web. His best-seller School’s Out: Hyperlearning, the New Technology, and the End of Education (William Morrow and Co., 1992) explored the emerging principles of “hyperlearning” and the knowledge-driven enterprise. He authored five books, edited or contributed to eight more, and published over 100 articles and essays for outlets including BusinessWeek, Forbes, Wired, and

The Wall Street Journal. Throughout his life he took great satisfaction in mentoring others as they navigated changing careers and technologies. Dr. Perelman served at prominent research organizations including the Solar Energy Research Institute, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, the Hudson Institute, and the Homeland Security Institute. He was a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers and the Society for Risk Analysis. Dr. Perelman completed undergraduate and graduate studies in mathematics and physics at City College of New York, Columbia University, and Harvard University, earning a doctorate in education, planning, and policy from Harvard.

He was born in Mount Vernon, NY, in 1946 to Leonard Perelman and Ruth Price Perelman. Survivors include his wife, Isabella Owen Perelman of Lake Ridge, VA, and his sister, Kara Price of Los Angeles, CA.