Andrew C. Butler

Andrew C. Butler is a Professor in the Department of Education and the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences (by courtesy) at Washington University in St. Louis. He serves as Director of the St. Louis Translational Fellows in Education program and leads the Memory Dynamics Laboratory. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses at the intersection of psychological science and education.

His research focuses on the malleability of memory, particularly how retrieval processes influence memory content and phenomenological characteristics such as confidence, vividness, and emotional intensity. Key areas include higher-order learning, error correction, self-regulated learning, motivation, and the impact of contextual factors like knowledge domain and individual differences. His work spans laboratory, classroom, and online environments, employing diverse methodologies including experimental, longitudinal, and mixed methods.

His recent publications reveal a strong trajectory in retrieval-based learning, memory stability, educational applications of cognitive science, and methodological innovation. Themes include the spacing effect, technology in learning, collective memory, and open science. He emphasizes equity, diversity, and inclusion in research design and practice.

• Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science
• Fellow of the Psychonomic Society
• J. Don Read Early Career Award (Society for Applied Research in Memory and Cognition)
• Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award

Dr. Butler has secured over $8 million in research funding from the James S. McDonnell Foundation, Spencer Foundation, and National Institute for Mental Health. He has advised postdoctoral researchers through the Translational Fellows program and is accepting new doctoral students. He has served as Associate Editor for the Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition and on editorial boards of leading journals including Educational Psychology Review and Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition. He previously chaired the Department of Education and served as its Director of Graduate Studies.

He leads the Memory Dynamics Laboratory, which investigates memory change and stability using diverse methods across multiple contexts. The lab emphasizes open science, reproducibility, and inclusive research practices. It trains graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in translational educational research through research-practice partnerships.