Reinhard Pekrun

Reinhard Pekrun is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Essex and a Professorial Fellow at the Australian Catholic University. His groundbreaking work on achievement emotions and motivation has established the Control-Value Theory as a foundational framework in educational psychology. With over 350 publications and recognition as a Web of Science Highly Cited Researcher, Pekrun bridges theoretical innovation with practical applications in psychological assessment and student well-being.

• Habilitation (University of Munich, 1986)
• PhD (University of Munich, 1982)
• Dipl.-Psych. (Technical University of Braunschweig/University of Tübingen, 1977)

His research spans educational psychology, emotional development, and self-regulation. Recent work explores:

• Emotion regulation strategies in university settings
• Mathematics learning emotions through longitudinal analysis
• Epistemic emotions in text-based learning
• Test anxiety physiological correlates

Awarded:

• 2015 John G. Diefenbaker Award
• 2017 Sylvia Scribner Award
• 2017 EARLI Oeuvre Award
• 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award (German Psychological Society)

and holding fellowships in multiple international societies, Pekrun mentors PhD candidates like Tiia Ladvelin and Claire Oakley (awarded 2025). His AEQ-M and REQ scales revolutionized emotion measurement in education.