McEwen received his bachelor's degree in chemistry from Oberlin College and his Ph.D. in cell biology from Rockefeller University in 1964.

By pioneering the role of both gonadal and adrenal steroid action in the brain, the McEwen laboratory helped develop the modern concept of stress.

[2] McEwen's notable students include Robert Sapolsky, Elizabeth Gould, Catherine Woolley, Michael Meaney, and Heather Cameron.

His expertise and work have been featured on ABC, NBC, CNN, PBS, NPR, BBC, and in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and many others.

McEwen was on the Scientific Advisory Board of Anti-AgingGames.com[3] where he collaborated with Nolan Bushnell, the founder of Atari, and with a team of world-renowned behavioral neuroscientists[4] to create memory, focus and relaxation games for healthy adults over the age of 35.