Professor of Engineering at Oakland University; Coursera’s Inaugural “Innovation Instructor"; Author of "Learning How To Learn"

Rochester, MI, USA
Live Event: $10,000 - $20,000 Virtual Event: $5,000 - $10,000 More Fee Info

Barbara Oakley Biography

Barbara Oakley, PhD, PE is a Distinguished Professor of Engineering at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan; Michigan’s Distinguished Professor of the Year; and Coursera’s inaugural “Innovation Instructor.” Her work focuses on the complex relationship between neuroscience and social behavior.

Dr. Oakley’s research has been described as “revolutionary” in the Wall Street Journal. She is a New York Times best-selling author who has published in outlets as varied as the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. Her book "A Mind for Numbers," on effective learning in STEM disciplines, has sold over a million copies worldwide; "Uncommon Sense Teaching" is a critically praised guide to teaching based on insights from neuroscience.

Dr. Oakley has won numerous teaching awards, including the American Society of Engineering Education’s Chester F. Carlson Award for technical innovation in engineering education and the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers William E. Sayle II Award for Achievement in Education. Together with Terrence Sejnowski, the Francis Crick Professor at the Salk Institute, she co-teaches Coursera’s “Learning How to Learn,” one of the world’s most popular massive open online courses with some four million registered students, along with a number of other leading MOOCs.

Dr. Oakley has adventured widely through her lifetime. She rose from the ranks of Private to Captain in the U.S. Army, during which time she was recognized as a Distinguished Military Scholar. She also worked as a communications expert at the South Pole Station in Antarctica, and has served as a Russian translator on board Soviet trawlers on the Bering Sea. Dr. Oakley is an elected Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering and of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering.

BOOK Barbara Oakley

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 08/20/2025.

Barbara Oakley Videos

Highlights: Barbara Oakley | Learning How to Learn

Highlights: Barbara Oakley | Learning How to Learn

Here's a mashup of great moments from the Talks at Google event with Professor of Engineering Barbara Oakley, as she discusses her book "A Mind for...

Barbara Oakley - How Neuroscience Is Changing What We Know about Learning

Barbara Oakley - How Neuroscience Is Changing What We Know about Learning

How can neuroscience help to learn better and improve teaching practices? Barbara Oakley’s keynote will provide practical insights, using...

Khan Academy Live! In Khanversation with Barbara Oakley

Khan Academy Live! In Khanversation with Barbara Oakley

Join Sal Khan as he welcomes author and professor Barbara Oakley to the Khan Academy offices to discuss education and mastery learning.

  • How do I book Barbara Oakley to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Barbara Oakley for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Barbara Oakley, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Barbara Oakley or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Barbara Oakley

    Speaking fees for Barbara Oakley, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Barbara Oakley are $10,000 - $20,000 for live events and under $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Barbara Oakley, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Barbara Oakley speak about?

    Barbara Oakley is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Author, Education, Educational Motivational, Influential Women, Mathematics, Military, Professors, Science, STEM, Women, Women in Tech, Workshop
  • Where does Barbara Oakley travel from?

    Barbara Oakley generally travels from Rochester, MI, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Barbara Oakley’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Barbara Oakley for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Barbara Oakley for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Barbara Oakley or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Barbara Oakley is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics. The estimated speaking fee range to book Barbara Oakley for your event is $10,000 - $20,000. Barbara Oakley generally travels from Rochester, MI, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Linda Darling-Hammond, Olympia LePoint, Ayo Sokale, Katie King and Dr. Kate Biberdorf. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Barbara Oakley for an upcoming live or virtual event.

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.
Please Select Event Budget
Please enter your message
Please Enter Your Name
Please Enter Your Email
  • Customized Service

    Our agents find the right fit for your event

  • Unparalleled Database

    Full access to all speakers & celebrities

  • One Stop Shopping

    A reliable and unbiased point of contact

  • Logistics Management

    Your personal Logistics Manager who takes care of all event details

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

TOP