Richard E. Mayer

Richard E. Mayer is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, affiliated with the College of Letters & Science. His work bridges cognition, instruction, and technology to advance understanding of how people learn and how to design effective educational interventions.

• Research focuses on multimedia learning, computer-supported learning environments, and computer games for learning
• Current projects examine immersive virtual reality, generative learning strategies, and social cues in online instruction
• Recipient of top honors: Thorndike Award, Scribner Award, and APA’s Distinguished Contribution Award
• Principal Investigator on grants from the Office of Naval Research, Institute of Education Sciences, and National Science Foundation

He leads the Mayer Lab for Research on Learning and Instruction, which emphasizes learning for transfer—ensuring learners apply knowledge in new contexts. His research has established 12 instructional design principles for online learning environments.