Learning Reimagined

Richard Baraniuk

What began as a simple teaching philosophy quickly grew into a radical plan to redefine how students learn. Richard started to bring affordable educational resources and technology to students and educators around the world through an initiative that would eventually be known as OpenStax. But he knew this challenge would require the support of other visionaries who shared his belief for educational equity.

Bob Maxfield ’63 was introduced to Richard in 2000 while serving on the Rice Board of Trustees. An electrical engineer and co-founder of Silicon Valley firm ROLM Corporation, Bob was passionate about investing in education and recognized the powerful role technology can play in expanding access. When Richard told him about his plans for OpenStax, Bob quickly became one of its most ardent supporters, serving as a strategic adviser, one of its earliest investors and an active member of the team.

“If this vision happens, it’s not going to all be done by the OpenStax team — it’s going to be if everyone wakes up one day and says, ‘This is the right way to do things,’” Bob once said. “We’ve given proof of concept in a major way. We have to keep doing what we’re doing — expand exponentially and get other organizations involved in the same vision to scale even faster.”

Bob’s vision for OpenStax was pivotal in the organization’s success — today, it is the world's largest publisher of free, open educational resources, reaching more than 7 million students annually across high schools, colleges and 150 countries. OpenStax’s innovative approach to improving educational outcomes has evolved over the years with each technological breakthrough. Now, it is taking on large-scale research on the complexities of education and learning.

Bob Maxfield

"Everyone should have an equal playing field to get a quality education. Period." — Bob Maxfield

This year, the U.S. National Science Foundation awarded OpenStax $90 million to build and lead SafeInsights, a new multi-institution education research and development hub. It brings together schools, learning apps, websites and researchers to understand how different students learn in various contexts. SafeInsights strongly protects student privacy by doing something unusual: it never lets researchers see any data. Instead of taking data out of education apps and websites for researchers to study, SafeInsights brings researchers’ questions — encoded in software — to the data. This ensures that all data remains secure inside the platforms in which it was originally collected.

“The insights we gain from these digital learning environments will translate into real tools and equitable practices that reach millions of students,” Richard said. “Imagine educators equipped with proven, tailored resources, like AI-powered tutors, that enable them to create relevant, differentiated experiences adapted to a student’s strengths and needs.”

Bob, who passed away in August 2024, leaves behind a legacy that will continue to inspire students to seek knowledge and pursue their curiosity through education.

“He was a true visionary. His unwavering passion and encouragement over the years was at the heart of every success we’ve had at OpenStax,” Richard said. “Bob’s leadership will be sorely missed, but I am honored that his pioneering ideas will endure as we continue to advance our mission to make an amazing education accessible for everyone.”