About the Author

Jason W. Park is the author of two memoirs, a number of short stories and personal essays, a scientific research note and an Op-Ed piece. His writings typically revolve around the hero’s journey: overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles, exerting heavy, strenuous effort, and emphasizing the changed moral fiber of the protagonist. His lifelong battle with mental illness, aimed at achieving recovery and wellness, is the constant theme in his second memoir. His more recent projects have shifted from the purely literary to public policy debates. Specifically, they focus on mass shootings, and what parts mental illness and criminality play in coming up with solutions to this social scourge.

Dr. Park received his baccalaureate from Harvard and his Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh. He was born in Kansas and raised in Pittsburgh, before leaving for warmer climes in Los Angeles post-college. He dabbles in Pittsburgh sports and remembers fondly the Super Bowl victories of the National Football League Steelers and the Stanley Cup championship wins of the National Hockey League Penguins (but he still waits for the Major League Baseball Pirates to win a World Series—last one was in 1979). With a strong avocation for music, he enjoys listening to Electronic Dance Music and playing classical piano.