Richard C. Anderson is University Scholar and professor emeritus of education and psychology at the University of Illinois. Educated at Harvard University, Anderson has been a school teacher and an assistant superintendent of schools. He has served as president of the American Educational Research Association and has been elected to the National Academy of Education and the Reading Hall of Fame. He has published more than two hundred books and articles, notably, Becoming a Nation of Readers, one of the most widely read books of all time about literacy.

 Anderson's honors include twice winning the Palmer O. Johnson Award, AERA's annual award for the outstanding educational research paper of the year; the Oscar O. Causey Award from the Literacy Research Association for career-long excellence in reading research; the William S. Gray Citation of Merit, the highest honor of the International Reading Association; the Distinguished Contribution to Educational Research Award of AERA; the Edward Lee Thorndike Award for distinguished psychological contributions to education, presented by the American Psychological Association; the Gallery of Scientists of the Federation of Associations of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, recognizing eminent senior scientists who have made lasting and important contributions to the sciences of mind, brain, and behavior.

Anderson is currently interested in the role of classroom discussion in children’s social, emotional, and cognitive development; learning to read alphabetic and non-alphabetic languages; and, vocabulary growth and development.