Richard de Neufville

Richard de Neufville is a Professor of Engineering Systems at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he focuses on integrating flexibility into technological system design to enhance performance under uncertainty. His career spans over five decades, with a legacy in engineering education innovation as the founding chairman of MIT's Technology and Policy Program. He maintains international affiliations, including appointments at Cambridge Judge Management School and visiting professorships at institutions across Europe, Asia, and North America.

• Chevalier des Palmes Académiques (France)
• Honorary Doctor of Philosophy (Delft University of Technology)
• Robert Horonjeff Award (ASCE, 2018)
• Sizer Award for Most Significant Contribution to MIT Education
• Martore and MIT Effective Teaching Awards

His research revolutionized engineering design paradigms by shifting focus from fixed specifications to adaptive systems using real options. Applications span airport planning, LNG production, real estate development, and wildfire management. Current work involves curating case studies on flexible system design with global collaborators.

Key publication themes include:

• Real options in engineering and policy contexts
• Uncertainty quantification across domains
• Systems analysis for infrastructure and aerospace
• Decision science frameworks for risk assessment

His teaching employs flipped classrooms and emphasizes 'learning by doing' through project-based courses like Risk and Decision Analysis (IDS.333) and Engineering Systems Analysis for Design (IDS.332).