Merrick L. Furst

Merrick L. Furst is a Professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology's College of Computing, where he directs undergraduate programs and faculty development while leading commercialization and new venture creation initiatives. His institutional affiliations include the School of Computer Science, School of Cybersecurity and Privacy, Algorithms and Randomness Center (ARC), and Center for 21st Century Universities (C21U).

Dr. Furst's research focuses on theoretical foundations of computing, with seminal contributions to algorithms, complexity theory, and artificial intelligence. He co-invented probabilistic circuit analysis and planning graphs—breakthroughs considered among the most influential in AI planning—bridging abstract theory with practical applications in machine reasoning and system design.

Prior to Georgia Tech, Dr. Furst served as a professor and president of the International Computer Science Institute at UC Berkeley, founded and scaled Essential Surfing Gear, Inc. to 53 employees before its 2000 acquisition, and held professorship and associate deanship roles at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science. He also contributed to educational innovation by co-founding a San Francisco high school.