Over the past 15 years, Jackie Bezos, as President of the Bezos Family Foundation, played a transformative role in advancing the mission of the University of Washington’s Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences (I-LABS). Since 2010, the Bezos Family Foundation's extraordinary commitment provided support for groundbreaking research and the recruitment and retention of world-class scientists dedicated to discovering the fundamental principles of human learning, with a special emphasis on how early learning experiences foster brain development. Jackie believed that basic scientific discoveries about how, when, and why early learning occurs would accelerate the development of practical applications for enhancing the lives of all children. The Foundation’s initial gift was the establishment of the Bezos Family Foundation Endowed Chair for Early Childhood Learning, held by I-LABS co-director Dr. Patricia Kuhl.
The Bezos Family Foundation’s philanthropic investment directly fueled landmark advancements in brain science, including the acquisition of state-of-the-art MEG (magnetoencephalography) machines and investment in the development of the first ‘wearable’ MEG device. This technology enables researchers to capture whole-brain visualizations of neural activity in real-time in a completely safe and non-invasive way. With this technology, I-LABS mapped the intricate brain networks that shape learning, social interaction, and cognitive growth from infancy through adolescence. Research supported by the Bezos Family Foundation is now reshaping the scientific understanding of how experiences in the earliest years influence the brain throughout the lifespan. The Bezos Family Foundation’s generosity and Jackie Bezos’ firm belief in the value of bold scientific exploration and the measurement of early brain development not only elevated I-LABS to a position of global leadership but also made possible discoveries with profound implications for education, policy, and human potential.
