Keith Rayner (1943-2015)

Keith Rayner, holder of the Atkinson Chair in Psychology at the University of California, San Diego, passed away on January 21, 2015, from complications due to cancer. Keith was born on June 20, 1943, in Dover, England. Keith was the major figure in the study of cognitive processes in reading, defining its approaches, techniques, and questions over four decades. Keith's main line of research involved the use of eye-movement measurement to probe the process of skilled reading. Keith demonstrated that measuring where and how long the eyes look can provide deep insight into the reading process. He published over 400 research articles, including more than 130 since 2008. A great source of pride for Keith was his record of training and placing students and post docs with whom he worked. Keith was not only a scholar of high standards but also a person of great integrity and decency. Keith is survived by his wife Susan, his children, Ashley (Jason) and Jonathan (Becky), his two granddaughters, Isabel and Samantha, his mother Olive, and his siblings Pete (Kathy), Sue (Brent), and Julie. A Keith Rayner Memorial Award is being established to recognize outstanding early career contributions to research on eye movements in reading. Despite his passing, his work will continue to influence the field for years to come.