Dr. Henry L. Roediger III is a preeminent cognitive scientist whose groundbreaking work has fundamentally shaped contemporary understanding of human memory processes. He holds the distinguished position of James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor Emeritus of Psychological & Brain Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, where he has been a transformative faculty member since 1996. Dr. Roediger received his undergraduate education magna cum laude from Washington & Lee University in 1969 before earning his PhD in cognitive psychology from Yale University in 1973. His academic journey included fifteen formative years at Purdue University, with two visiting appointments at the University of Toronto, followed by his appointment as the Lynette S. Autrey Professor of Psychology at Rice University in 1988.
Dr. Roediger's seminal contributions include the development of the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm, which revolutionized the scientific study of false memories and remains the standard laboratory method for investigating memory illusions. His research on retrieval practice established the powerful "testing effect," demonstrating that active recall significantly enhances long-term retention compared to passive re-reading, with profound implications for educational practice worldwide. His theoretical framework of transfer-appropriate processing advanced understanding of implicit memory and priming phenomena, revealing critical dissociations between implicit and explicit memory systems. Dr. Roediger's investigations into collective memory have pioneered cross-national studies examining how communities remember historical events, particularly through his collaboration with anthropologist Jim Wertsch on World War II memory across twelve countries.
As a leader in psychological science, Dr. Roediger has served as President of the Association for Psychological Science, Chair of the Society of Experimental Psychologists, and section chair for psychology in both the National Academy of Sciences and American Academy of Arts and Sciences. His transformative leadership as Department Chair at Washington University nearly doubled the psychology faculty while expanding research into new domains including brain imaging during a period when many departments were contracting. Elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2017 and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2005, Dr. Roediger continues his research as Professor Emeritus, focusing on collective memory and education through his role as co-principal investigator of a $90 million NSF project innovating science education. His enduring legacy encompasses both theoretical frameworks that define modern memory research and practical applications that have transformed educational methodologies across the globe.
