Robert D. Maurer (born July 20, 1924) is an American industrial physicist noted for his leadership in the invention of optical fiber.
In 1979, Maurer was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering for contributions to the technology of low-loss fibers for optical communication.
He was quickly called up for active service, and studied preengineering for about one year at the Huntsville, Texas, state college.
Supported by the GI Bill, Maurer returned in 1946 to the University of Arkansas to study chemical engineering, but quickly switched to physics.
in physics in 1948, then performed graduate work at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he measured second sound velocity in liquid helium.