Richard Larson

Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology[16]

What is Richard Larson known for?

Richard Charles Larson, fondly known as "Dick", was born in 1943 in Bayside, Queens, New York City. He moved around in his early years, first to Sunbury, Pennsylvania at the age of five, and then to North Plainfield, New Jersey, a few years later. Larson completed his high school education at Needham High School in Massachusetts. Here is where you can find Needham High School on the map.

After graduating, he started his academic journey at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he earned a Bachelor of Science in 1965, a Master of Science in 1967, and a PhD in 1969, all in Electrical Engineering. His academic prowess led him to become a faculty member at MIT in 1969, and since then, he has held various appointments in the Departments of Electrical Engineering, Urban Studies, and Planning and is currently the Post-Tenure Mitsui Professor of Data, Systems, and Society.

Throughout his illustrious career, Larson has made significant contributions to the field of operations research. His primary area of research being urban systems, focusing on the effectiveness and efficiency of urban emergency services. He started his research at the RAND Corporation in the late 1960s, investigating the effectiveness of police and other emergency services dispatch systems, with a special focus on New York City. His work here resulted in a number of influential papers.

In the mid-90s, Larson shifted his research focus to technology-enabled learning. For 8 years, he served as the Director of MIT's Center for Advanced Educational Services to democratize education by leveraging technology. He is also the Principal Investigator of the MIT BLOSSOMS initiative, providing math and science video lessons to students worldwide. He founded and directs the Learning International Networks Coalition that promotes quality education at scale via technology.

Outside his academic and research roles, Larson has a unique persona known as "Doctor Queue". As this name suggests, he is a renowned expert in queuing theory and the psychology of waiting in lines. He has been a frequent guest on National Public Radio and featured in the Washington Post.

Throughout his career, Larson has been recognized for his contributions. He was awarded the Frederick W. Lanchester Prize in 1972 and the George E. Kimball Medal in 2002. He served as president of the Operations Research Society of America from 1993 to 1994, and again in 2005 when it merged with the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS). He was also named a founding fellow of INFORMS in 2002.

One of Larson's most prestigious accolades came in 1993 when he was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering for his work in developing and applying operations research methodologies in public and private-sector service industries.

On a personal note, Richard tied the knot with Susan Jean Wheeler at the MIT Chapel in 1969. The couple has been together ever since.

To learn more about Richard Larson, feel free to visit his MIT profile.