Ray Smith Bassler (July 22, 1878 – October 3, 1961) was an American geologist and paleontologist.

When he was in high school he used to sell fossils for Edward Oscar Ulrich.

From 1905 to 1931 he was working with Ferdinand Canu of France on Tertiary Polyzoa of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.

By 1929 he was appointed as a head curator of the Department of Geology, a job that he kept till his promotion to associate in Paleontology in 1948.

[5] The conodont species name Neognathodus bassleri is a tribute to RS Bassler.