Richard Muller Joins IARPA as New Director

Richard Muller, previously of the Department of Energy’s Quantum Systems Accelerator, has joined the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity as director.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, a 2024 Wash100 winner, said that the IARPA would benefit from Muller’s experience in science, academia and leadership, allowing the institution to face its toughest challenges.

Muller, who holds a bachelor’s degree from Rice University and a doctorate from the California Institute of Technology, previously held leadership roles at the QSA and the Advanced Microsystems Group at Sandia National Laboratories. He succeeds Catherine Marsh, who retires after serving more than 20 years at the Intelligence Community, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said.

Muller’s appointment comes after the agency named John Beieler as its chief artificial intelligence officer in early April, supporting Haines in the development of AI and machine learning deployment guidelines.

IARPA has been engaged in a wide range of research efforts, including artificial intelligence. In January 2023, it introduced the Rapid Explanation, Analysis and Sourcing Online program, an initiative to develop software capable of automatically generating recommendations when preparing intelligence reports.