Richard Chatham Atkinson[2] (born March 19, 1929) is an American professor of cognitive science and psychology and an academic administrator.[3] In a career that has ranged beyond traditional disciplines and challenged long-settled views about learning, he has combined theoretical insights with practical applications in American classrooms. He is president emeritus of the University of California system, former chancellor of the University of California, San Diego, and former director of the National Science Foundation.[4][5]