Dr. Brian M. Lawrence was born in London, England, where he eventually worked as both a technician and as a chromatography lab manager in the pharmaceutical industry while pursuing a degree in Chemistry. In 1960, he was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to study chemistry in Chicago where he also worked at numerous labs before leaving his university studies to return to the industry. He later obtained his doctorate in pharmacognosy at the State University in Groningen, the Netherlands while working full time in Canada. Dr. Lawrence served as a researcher and the director of research and development until he retired in 2003. He then started a consultancy business, which continues to this day. He has published in excess of 80 original articles and reports and has been the scientific editor and natural products editor of the Perfumer and Flavorist for over 30 years. Dr. Lawrence has also published 13 books and 18 book chapters on essential oils while acting as senior editor for the proceedings of the 10th International Congress of Essential Oils, Flavors, and Fragrances. In 1989, he founded the Journal of Essential Oil Research and was editor-in-chief until January 2010. He remains on the JEOR editorial board.