Don Donderi was educated at the University of Chicago, which he entered at 15. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree at 18 and a B.Sc. in biological psychology at 21. He began his professional career as a research psychologist with IBM where he helped to develop radar navigation displays for the B-52 bomber.

After graduating from Cornell University with a PhD in experimental psychology he joined the Faculty of Science of McGill University, where he taught undergraduate psychology, trained PhD students and served as Associate Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research. He retired from McGill in 2009 after a career of 47 years.

He has written over one hundred basic research papers and technical reports dealing with the science of human visual perception and memory, co-authored one textbook and edited another. He co-founded a Toronto-based ergonomics consulting company and has carried out applied research and development projects for private and government clients on topics including flight instrumentation, flight simulation, marine navigation in ocean and arctic environments, nuclear safety and chemical process engineering.

His entire career has been in the mainstream of science and engineering. He is a dual American-Canadian citizen and lives in Montreal.

His books include, UFOs, ETs and Alien Abduction and Truth, Lies and ETs.