Roger D. Ray

BIOGRAPHY

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Roger Dean Ray  came to Rollins College in 1969 to teach psychology. Over his tenure, he has authored numerous publications and engaged in many experimental projects. Eventually, Ray became the head of the Department of Psychology and the founding director of the Quantitative Learning and Teaching Center at Rollins.

Born in New Castle, Indiana, in 1941, Ray earned his B.A. in mathematics and psychology from Rollins College. He then studied at the University of Wisconsin for two years before completing his Ph.D. in general experimental psychology at the University of Tennessee in 1969.  

While at Rollins College, Ray engaged in many collaborative efforts. Co-authoring, researching with students, and working with international scientists all reflect Ray's understanding of his field's cumulative nature. During the late '80s and early '90s he worked alongside Soviet scientists at Rollins on a project that analyzed how mechanisms in brains deal with new information. In 1996, he developed Cyber Rat, an online program that simulates rat behavior for lab use by psychology students. Among other distinctions he received the 1980 President's Award for Best of Conference paper at the International Congress on Applied Systems and Cybernetics, the McKean Award in 1986, the Erlbaum/ SCiP Distinguished Presentation Academic Excellence Award in 1991, and the Bornstein Award for Faculty Scholarship in 2007.  

Ray's academic interests include: observational methodology, behavioral systems analysis, and adaptive instructional design. He published many research articles including: "Interbehavioral Methodology: Lessons from simulation," "Using virtual reality to deliver laboratory experiences in undergraduate education," and "Setting changes and the quality of human life." Beside his academic career, Ray also enjoys sculpture and interior design in addition to participating in several sports. The most notable of these is water skiing. Once a professional in the sport, Ray won numerous championships while he was a student and was inducted into the Rollins College Alumni Sports Hall of Fame in 1991. 

Ray Discusses Water Skiing

• "...When I came to Rollins I actually had a small scholarship from the Kiekhaefer Mercury Marine Outboard Motors that I had won because of winning a national tournament, and Rollins had a ski team..."
  
  
  
  
  
   

• "...It made a lot more sense to me if we could take advantage of some unused space behind the Bush Science Center to build a psychology building and remove psychology–physically at least–from the social science complex, which would relieve essentially a whole floor requirement..."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   

• "...I had a friend that was living in the same dorm and he was taking an art class from Hugh McKean and it was an eight o’ clock class and he missed one, one time..."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• "...I have actually driven I-4 from downtown Orlando to US 27 and never passed an automobile.  Because it was under construction when it first opened, you could make a trip and never pass a car..."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• "...I’ve published some things that it would be very, very difficult for other people to publish, because they couldn’t do it.  They wouldn’t have the luxury.  When you are under publish or perish circumstances in large research institutions timing is everything, and here that’s not been the critical factor..."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

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Ray Discusses Moving the Psychology Department into Bush Science Center

Ray Discusses Hugh McKean

Ray Discusses How the Area Has Changed

Ray Discusses Projects and Publications