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Richard M. Murray
Thomas E. and Doris Everhart Professor of California Institute of Technology
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Note: I am currently sabbatical through Dec 2026, and I am not starting any new students or postdocs in my group nor hosting visitors or SURF students during this time. If you are interested in the work we are doing in my group, I encourage you to take a look at some of my collaborators at Caltech.
Prospective graduate students: Students in my group come through the CDS, CMS, BE, BMB, ACM, CS and ME graduate programs at Caltech. Some of my students also come from the CNS and EE departments, but I do not actively participate in admissions decisions in those programs. Please take a look at my current research interests to get a sense of what my group is currently working on. I typically start 1-2 students/year in my group, based on available project funding. I am not able to respond to individual requests for feedback on your application.
Prospective postdocs: I typically make decisions about postdocs in the April-May timeframe, when I know what my grants look like for fall. Please take a look at my current research interests to see what projects we are currently working on.
Prospective SURF students (and summer interns, volunteers, etc): I prioritize SURF students from Caltech or who come recommended to me by current collaborators. I am not able to support additional SURF students, interns, or volunteers nor respond to individual requests to do a SURF project in my group.
Research
My group's research is in the application of feedback and control to networked systems, with applications in biology and autonomy. Current projects include design and implementation of synthetic cells and verification and testing of safety-critical systems (see my research overview for more details).
Active projects:
- Design and Implementation of Multi-Component Synthetic Cells (ARO/ICB)
- Center for Harnessing Microbiota from Military Environments (CHARMME) (ARO)
- Rules of Composition in Synthetic Biology Across Scales of Complexity: Theory and Tools (AFOSR)
Group
Sal Ibarra* (BE) Leo Li* (CNS)
Nikos Mynhier* (BE) Miki Yun# (EAS)
Han Zhang* (BE)
* co-advised students + visiting researchers ° rotation students † undergraduates # research staff
Former graduate students:
- Zach Martinez* - PhD in Bioengineering, May 2026
- Matthieu Kratz - PhD in Bioengineering, Oct 2025
# Masters or Engineers degree * Co-advised student
Former postdocs:
- Kazu Echigo (2025) - CMS Postdoctoral Fellow
- Yan Zhang (2022-24) - Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow
Raktim Bhattacharya (2002-04) Brianno Coller (1995-97) Ersin Das (2021-22) Noel du Toit (2011) Chuchu Fan (2019-20) Samira Farahani (2014-15) David Garcia (2020-21) Jin Ge (2016-18) Leopold Green (2018-21) Sofie Haesaert (2016-18) Yutaka Hori (2013-16) Chelsea Hu (2018-22) Tamer Inanc (2002-04)
Inigo Incer (2022-24) Jongmin Kim (2010-14) Eric Klavins* (2001-03) Feng-Li Lian (2001-02) Jun Liu (2011-2012) Michaelle Mayalu (2017-22) Catherine McGhan (2014-16) John McManus* (2018-19) Yilin Mo (2013-15) Kristi Morgansen (1999-2001) Pascal Morin (1996-97) Yasamin Mostofi (2004-06) Reza Olfati-Saber (2001-04)
Yizhar Or (2007-09) Necmiye Ozay (2010-13) Pavithra Prabhakar (2011-12) Nicolas Petit (2001-02) Vasu Raman (2013-15) Henrik Sandberg (2005-07) Shaunak Sen (2011-12) B. N. Shashikanth* (1998-2000) Dan Siegal (2012-15) Andrew Straw* (2010) Willem Sluis (1994-96) Herbert Streumper (1997-99) Ufuk Topcu (2008-12)
Additional group alumni: SURF Undergrads Visitors
Teaching
The list below is the courses that I have taught at Caltech (or at least most of them). The course links will take you to the (current) course homepage, where you can find the syllabus, handouts, and homework sets. The links for specific terms take you to the course homepage for that term. Links to older courses are available on a separate page.
- ACM/EE 116 - Probability and Random Processes (Fa11)
- BE 107 - Exploring Biological Principles Through Bio-Inspired Design (Sp15, Sp16, Sp19)
- BE 150/Bi 250b - Systems Biology (Wi11, Wi12, Wi13, Sp14)
- BE/EE/MedE 189a - Design and Construction of Biodevices (Fa24)
- Bi/BE/CS 183 - Introduction to Computational Biology and Bioinformatics (Wi24)
- CS/EE/ME 75 - Introduction to Multi-Disciplinary Systems Engineering (04-05, 06-07, 10-11, 15-16)
- CDS 90 - Senior Thesis in Control and Dynamical Systems (2004-2014, 2020-2024)
- CDS 101/110 - Analysis and Design of Feedback Systems (Fa97, Fa01, Fa02, Fa03, Fa04, Fa06, Fa07, Fa08, Fa12, Fa15, Sp24)
- CDS 112 - Optimization-Based Control (Wi98, Wi02, Wi03, Wi04, Wi06, Wi07, Wi08, Wi22, Wi23)
- CDS 131 - Linear Systems Theory (Fa18, Fa19, Fa20)
- CDS 140 - Differential Equations and Dynamical Systems (Wi11, Wi13, Wi14, Wi15)
- CDS 240 - Nonlinear Dynamical Systems (Sp14, Sp16)
- CDS 202 - Geometry of Nonlinear Systems (Wi93, Wi94, Wi04, Wi09, Sp13)
- CS 142 - Distributed Computing (Fa17, Fa19)
- CS 143 - Communication Networks (Fa18)
- CMS 273 - Frontiers in Computing and Mathematical Sciences (Wi19, Wi20, Wi21)
- E/SEC 103 - Management of Technology (Sp20, Sp23, Wi24, Wi25)
- Older courses (not taught in the last 15 years)
- Guest lectures - some individual lectures I have given in various courses
Contact
Mailing AddressRichard M. Murray |
Contact informationE-mail: murray@cds.caltech.edu |
Other linksCaltech |
