Dr. Richard Larson and Liz Murray: Reimagined Global STEM Education

In many parts of the world, STEM education is a luxury. Schools in remote or underfunded regions often lack not just infrastructure, but access to engaging, high-quality instruction. Dr. Richard Larson saw this as more than a logistical hurdle, it was a global equity issue. And it needed more than another e-learning tool. It needed a shift in thinking.

That’s where Mary Elizabeth Murray, Liz, entered the picture. More than a collaborator, she brought focus, compassion, and relentless energy to the mission. Together, they launched MIT BLOSSOMS (Blended Learning Open Source Science or Math Studies), a free global resource offering interactive STEM video lessons paired with classroom facilitation. It wasn’t just about content. It was about connection. Richard’s background in operations research and systems thinking paired seamlessly with Liz’s experience as an educator and program leader. Their combined strengths turned a big idea into a global movement.

Larson, often referred to as “Dr. Queue” for his pioneering work in queueing theory and urban systems, saw educational challenges through a unique lens, one shaped by optimization, fairness, and access. Liz grounded those theories in human experience, always pushing to keep BLOSSOMS student-centered and culturally inclusive. Their work now reaches classrooms in over 20 countries. And though Liz passed in 2022, her presence lives on in every student reached and every teacher supported.

From Queens to Cambridge: The Early Path of a Systems Thinker

Richard Larson’s story begins far from MIT, in the working-class neighborhood of Bayside, Queens. As a child, he spent his days exploring the banks of the Susquehanna River, curious, observant, always asking why. That curiosity never faded. It took him to Needham High School and eventually to MIT at just 18.

He began as an electrical engineering major but soon found a deeper pull toward operations research, a field that studies how systems behave and how decisions shape outcomes. At MIT, he found mentors who helped him apply his questions to real-life problems. One such problem became his doctoral work: how to better allocate urban police patrols. With guidance from Alvin Drake, Larson tackled it with a mix of academic discipline and social awareness.

He might have left after his PhD, unsure if he was ready to stay on as faculty. But Drake urged him to remain. That decision shaped not just his career, but decades of practical impact, at MIT and far beyond.

Turning Equations into Real-World Solutions

At MIT, Larson dove headfirst into service systems. He wasn’t just studying how they worked, he was building models to improve them. His most notable early contribution, the Hypercube Queueing Model, changed how emergency services could be planned and deployed. With it, cities could make smarter, faster decisions about where to place ambulances, fire units, or police.

But Larson didn’t want to keep his ideas in academic journals. He turned them into tools. With a startup later known as Q.E.D., he brought these models to public agencies, helping cities plan emergency responses more effectively. His work during the H1N1 pandemic on vaccine distribution earned national recognition. Decades earlier, his award-winning research on urban police systems had already set the tone: real-world problems deserve real-world solutions.

His nickname, Dr. Queue, speaks to how deeply he understood systems most of us take for granted, from post office lines to citywide logistics. What mattered to him wasn’t just the math. It was how people were affected by it.

Learning as a Force for Equity: The Story of BLOSSOMS

For Larson, teaching was never a sideline, it was the whole point. Over fifty years at MIT, he led classes that challenged students to think, question, and solve. His teaching style was always personal. One-on-one mentorship was as important to him as lectures or grades.

That same belief in meaningful education led to MIT BLOSSOMS, which he co-founded with Liz Murray and Dan Frey. The idea was simple: give underserved schools access to free, engaging STEM lessons, guided by local teachers. But the execution was anything but ordinary.

Each BLOSSOMS video is not just a lesson, it’s a shared experience. It begins with a real-world question, unfolds with storytelling and experimentation, and ends with students discussing and applying what they’ve learned. Liz played a key role in shaping the program’s voice, ensuring it respected local cultures while delivering global-quality education.

As director of MIT’s Learning International Networks Consortium (LINC), Larson expanded this mission even further. He believes a student in a rural classroom deserves the same spark of discovery as one in Cambridge. And BLOSSOMS helps make that possible.

The Power of Partnership: A Life with Liz

At the heart of Larson’s story is Liz, his wife, his collaborator, his closest friend. For over four decades, they built a life of shared purpose. Liz was always more than a supportive partner. She offered ideas, posed hard questions, and brought a human touch to every initiative they pursued.

It was Liz who helped Larson pivot toward writing Model Thinking for Everyday Life, a book aimed at helping people use analytical thinking in daily decision-making. She helped him balance intellectual drive with family life, grounding their work in love and shared values.

Her passing in 2022 was a deep personal loss. But her presence is everywhere, in the programs she shaped, the students she impacted, and the legacy she helped build. For Larson, continuing this work is a way to honor that legacy.

Larson’s career spans more than achievements, it’s built on influence. He led professional societies like ORSA and INFORMS, shaped academic standards, and championed open, interdisciplinary research. His awards include the Lanchester Prize, the INFORMS Presidents Award, and induction into the National Academy of Engineering.

Even in retirement, Larson is active, writing, mentoring, and encouraging others to embrace model-based thinking. His message is simple: understanding systems helps you live better, decide smarter, and contribute more. Whether it’s designing health systems or planning your week, models help clarify the mess.

He still writes by hand. Still learn something new every day. Still finds beauty in both numbers and people. And in every line he draws or story he shares, you can feel Liz’s presence, too.

Richard Larson is not just a systems expert. He’s someone who believes deeply in people, how they learn, how they grow, and how they thrive when given the right tools. His work is proof that education, when grounded in empathy and designed with purpose, can change lives across generations.