Barbara Oakley

Who Is Barbara Oakley?

Barbara Oakley is an engineering professor at Oakland University and one of the foremost researchers in exploring the intersection between neuroscience and social behavior. Her multidisciplinary approach spans STEM education, engineering instruction, and online learning practices. Her work has been described as “revolutionary” by the Wall Street Journal, and her course “Learning How to Learn,” which she co-created and teaches, is one of the world’s most popular MOOCs, with over two million students enrolled.

What is her Background?

Barbara Oakley’s career is a testament to diversity and dedication to knowledge. Her professional journey began in the U.S. Army, where she joined after high school to train as a linguist, studying Russian at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, before earning a degree in Slavic Studies from the University of Washington. After serving for four years in Germany as a Signal Officer and reaching the rank of captain, she decided to switch paths and study Electrical Engineering.

During her engineering studies, she worked as a Russian translator on ships in the Bering Sea, an experience she chronicled in her book *Hair of the Dog: Tales from a Russian Trawler* (1996). She also spent time as a radio operator at the South Pole Station in Antarctica. Throughout her career, Oakley has contributed to esteemed media outlets like The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, and holds a master’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering and a Ph.D. in Systems Engineering. Her books include *A Mind for Numbers* (2014), *Practicing Sustainability* (2013), *Pathological Altruism* (2012), and *Cold-Blooded Kindness* (2011).