Barbara Oakley is a Distinguished Professor of Engineering at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. Her work explores the intricate relationship between neuroscience and social behavior, contributing to a deeper understanding of how these fields intersect.
She created and teaches Coursera’s “Learning How to Learn,” one of the most popular massive open online courses in the world, with nearly four million registered students. In addition to this, she has developed several other highly regarded courses, many of which are listed among the “Top Online Courses of All Time.”
Barbara is also a New York Times best-selling author. Her work has been published in a wide range of outlets, including the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times. Her book A Mind for Numbers has sold over a million copies worldwide, further cementing her impact on education.
She has received numerous accolades for her work, including the McGraw Prize—often referred to as the “Nobel Prize for Education.” Barbara is also a Fellow of both the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, recognizing her significant contributions to both fields.