Bernard Luskin, PhD

The distinguished career of Dr. Bernard Luskin stands as a masterclass in dual-industry excellence. Celebrated by University Business Magazine as a rare visionary who has achieved exceptional, parallel careers in both corporate commerce and higher education, Dr. Luskin has spent decades operating at the vanguard of technology, media, and human psychology. A U.S. Navy veteran who served aboard the world’s first nuclear guided missile ship, he holds degrees in business, a doctorate from UCLA in education and technology, and credentials as a licensed psychotherapist and certified Civil Rights investigator.

Distinguished Corporate Leadership

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Beyond his deep roots in academia, Dr. Luskin carved out an esteemed corporate career as a high-level executive driving some of the most influential entities in corporate America. Serving as President and CEO of major divisions within Fortune 50 and 500 companies—including Philips Interactive Media, PolyGram New Media, Philips Education and Reference Publishing, and Jones International—he consistently demonstrated how corporate infrastructure can be leveraged to transform global communication. Under his direction, media networks such as Mind Extension University and Knowledge TV redefined how educational content was scaled and distributed to a global audience.

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A Trailblazer of Innovative Firsts

Dr. Luskin's professional accomplishments are defined by a stunning series of historic milestones that fundamentally re-architected modern digital media:

• The Blueprint for the DVD: While serving as President of Philips Interactive Media, Dr. Luskin forged a landmark partnership with Paramount Studios to produce the world's first 50 feature films in MPEG format on compact disc—a historical milestone that directly spearheaded the invention and commercialization of the DVD.

• Architect of Interactive Media: He is widely credited with engineering breakthroughs in early interactive technology, producing the world's very first interactive CD-ROM programs, including groundbreaking titles for Sesame Street and Compton’s Encyclopedias.

• The Vanguard of E-Learning: In the academic sector, he served as the founding chancellor of Jones International University, securing its historic status as the first accredited, fully web-based university in the world.

• Founder of Media Psychology: Bridging his passions for technology and the human mind, he launched the nation’s very first Ph.D. program in media psychology at Fielding Graduate University, and co-created the first Master’s program in Media Psychology and Social Change with UCLA.

 

Institutional & Lifetime Impact

Dr. Luskin's systemic institutional contributions have been recognized with two Emmy Awards, the prestigious Bellwether Award for community college leadership, and Lifetime Achievement Awards from the European Union, the Irish Government, and the American Psychological Association (APA).

As a past President of the APA’s Society for Media Psychology and Technology and a continuous columnist for Psychology Today through The Media Psychology Effect, Dr. Luskin brings unparalleled expertise, historic vision, and a lifelong commitment to understanding the intersection of human behavior and technology to the Center for Media, Technology & More.