Richard M. Ryan, PhD

Dr. Richard M. Ryan is a Professor at the Institute for Positive Psychology and Education at the Australian Catholic University, North Sydney and Professor Emeritus at the University of Rochester. He is a clinical psychologist and co-developer of Self-Determination Theory, an internationally recognized leading theory of human motivation, and a co- founder of Immersyve Inc., an organizational research and consulting firm.

He lectures frequently in the United States and aboard on the factors that promote motivation and healthy psychological and behavioral functioning (applied to such areas as work and organizations, education, health, sport and exercise, video games and virtual environments). Ryan is among the most cited researchers in psychology and social sciences today and the author of over 450 papers and books in the areas of human motivation and well-being, including his best-selling book, Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development and wellness (Ryan & Deci, 2017). Reflective of Ryan's influence internationally and across disciplines, he has been recognized as one of the eminent psychologists of the modern era and listed among the Top 20 most influential industrial-organizational psychologists. He has also been honored with three lifetime achievement awards for his work on motivation, personal meaning, and self and identity.