When do we really learn? I mean when do we really say that we can solve a real-world problem by using all our education, knowledge, and learning? Professor Dr Richard Charles Larson of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has the perfect solution – ‘Discovery Learning.’
Professor Dr Larson explains it by giving an example of sustainability, which he defines as ‘the ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level. “So, I guess the question aims at getting the students not only to learn all the new results and concepts but to remember them. Benjamin Franklin famously said: “TELL ME and I FORGET; TEACH ME, and I REMEMBER; INVOLVE ME and I LEARN.” The method then is interactive teaching and learning with the students. Involve them at a fundamental level.”
The Fundamentals of Smart Education
He furthers that his teaching philosophy involves the students, as discussed earlier. One can involve students performing at all different levels, from A+ level to C+. How to involve them? Stop the lecture and pose a related question to the class. First, you call on students with raised hands, and later, you call on those with hands not raised. “This gets us in the class close to what I call “Discovery Learning,” that is, discovering together the approaches and answers to various topics and questions.”
This way, Professor Larson guides his students through their academic journey from a practical point of view. He adds, “I try to motivate them to envisage their future after a successful graduation. For them to think of all the wonderful things they would be qualified to do and careers to start. This would include starting their own companies!”
Moreover, he takes special care to balance educational excellence with long-term innovation in an industry often focused on theoretical methods. Accepting the fact, he says that the Operations Research teaching was once focused on theoretical methods. Always before the class: “Theorem, Proof.” Like a branch of applied mathematics. But no longer, it is much more applied and motivated by the need to frame, formulate, and solve real problems. He adds that he is lucky to be an Operations-Research person and not one constrained to “Theorem, Proof.”
The Answer is Not the Answer
It is all because, when it comes to all the modern fads in learning, he is old-fashioned. He believes in computers being turned off and the students interacting with the material with many sharpened pencils and blank sheets of paper at hand. Recent educational research has validated this approach, as the mechanical movement of your hand, writing out key results, is a best-in-class pathway to parts of your brain that will store and remember the results. So, for Professor Larson, a student’s “immersive learning experience” is with pencil and paper! “Let’s not confuse a Google search for an answer as real learning. I like to say, “The Answer is NOT the answer; the Process is the answer.”
One might find this type of teaching revolutionary; Professor Dr Larson says that his methodology had been developed after he faced his biggest challenge in teaching. “In class, through unpleasant life-memorable experiences, I learned that I must know the material I am presenting deeply, with the ability to communicate it clearly and intuitively to C-level students. Early in my career, I failed at this, and the results were devastating.”
The Failure That Taught Him ‘How to Teach’
It so happened that early on, as a TA, a student in the class asked him to explain intuitively an equation (on Applied Probability) that he had just written on the blackboard. The equation was correct, but Professor Larson was unable to explain it intuitively. This was a life-changing moment, in which he promised himself to know deeply all the materials he presented publicly, in class or in other venues. “I believe I have kept that promise to myself.”
Surely, he did. For someone who has influenced generations of students and made an indelible mark in the field of Operations Research, Professor Richard C. Larson’s journey into academia was anything but planned. It began not with a clear career vision but with a natural curiosity and a serendipitous twist of fate.
When His Journey in Learning Began
As an undergraduate at MIT, Larson majored in Electrical Engineering, a decision inspired by his father, Gilbert C. Larson. “He’s the person I admire most in my life,” Larson recalls fondly. His father, an accomplished electrical engineer who worked for prestigious companies like Hazeltine, Westinghouse, and Raytheon, was not only brilliant in his professional domain but also a skilled carpenter and a true renaissance man. Larson’s admiration for his father set the foundation for his early academic direction.
However, it was during his time as a graduate student at MIT that Larson’s trajectory took an unexpected yet defining turn. He served as a teaching assistant for an undergraduate Applied Probability course—a role that awakened a deep passion within him. “I fell in love with teaching there as I witnessed my students’ eyes light up, moving from disinterest and confusion to full comprehension and excitement, all in a matter of minutes. That, to me, was Heaven on Earth!”
In the Heaven on Earth
His effectiveness as a teaching assistant did not go unnoticed. Professor Alvin W. Drake, his faculty advisor, approached him just months before his PhD graduation with a surprising proposition: “Dick, why don’t you stay on here at MIT as an assistant professor for a couple of years before you go off and make your millions?” Larson was stunned. He jokingly refers to his initial reaction as the “Groucho Marx syndrome”: a reluctance to join any club that would have him as a member. Yet, the opportunity was too significant to pass up. He accepted—and never looked back. That temporary stint evolved into a lifelong career that saw him rise through the ranks from assistant professor to full professor, eventually earning the prestigious title of MIT Mitsui Professor.
What makes Professor Larson’s journey particularly remarkable is the intellectual freedom he embraced and the interdisciplinary path he carved. Unlike many academics who anchor themselves to a single department, Larson moved across five different academic departments at MIT, including Electrical Engineering, Urban Studies and Planning, and Civil Engineering. His final and perhaps most fitting academic home became the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS). This department encapsulates his core interests and embodies his approach to both research and education. “I like the name IDSS,” he says. “The words ‘Data, Systems, and Society’ reflect exactly what I do.”
While his affiliations changed over time, his core style of professorship remained steady. “I don’t think my fundamental teaching style has changed,” he reflects. “What has evolved is the content—how I teach, what I research, and how I mentor.” His adaptive nature and curiosity kept his teaching aligned with the real world, an aspect that significantly distinguished him in the academic arena.
Great Teaching Means Complete Student Engagement
Larson’s teaching philosophy hinges on engagement and applicability. “Good teaching requires getting committed and enthusiastic engagement from the students in the class,” he asserts. The subjects he teaches—Applied Probability, Markov Processes, and Urban Operations Research—are deeply practical. His classes are never abstract lectures but dynamic experiences. He routinely brings real-world scenarios into the classroom, prompting discussions, asking questions, and encouraging students to explore how theoretical concepts apply to practical challenges.
This real-world connection extends seamlessly into his research. “I am lucky as an operations research professor,” Larson notes. “Operations Research is, essentially, ‘Research on Operations.’ It’s grounded in reality.” From studying the complexities of traffic queues to the operations of large organizations like American Airlines, his work is fueled by the urgent need to understand and improve real-life systems.
The Hypercube Queueing Model
Larson’s academic contributions are both theoretical and applied. While he has developed influential models, such as the Hypercube Queueing Model, what stands out is his insistence that every model begins with a real-world problem. He emphasizes that theory is a means to an end—not an end in itself. His students are not just learning how to solve equations; they are being trained to think critically, frame problems intelligently, and develop impactful solutions.
Throughout his career, Larson has been a staunch advocate for interactive, student-centered learning. His approach echoes the timeless wisdom of Benjamin Franklin: “Tell me and I forget; teach me and I remember; involve me and I learn.” He lives this philosophy in every classroom session. Rather than relying solely on traditional lectures, he pauses frequently to ask questions, engage students, and foster what he calls “discovery learning.” This method allows students across all performance levels—from A+ to C+—to contribute, learn, and grow.
This inclusive and engaging style has a lasting impact on his students. Larson not only equips them with knowledge but also inspires them to envision their futures with optimism and agency. “I try to motivate them to think about their lives after graduation,” he shares. “To realize the exciting possibilities ahead, including starting their own companies.”
The Educational Equilibrium
In a time when many educational institutions emphasize theoretical mastery, Larson champions a balance between rigorous scholarship and practical problem-solving. Reflecting on the evolution of Operations Research as a discipline, he observes how it has shifted from being dominated by the “Theorem, Proof” structure of applied mathematics to a more applied, impact-driven field. “I’m fortunate to be in a domain where the focus is solving real problems, not just proving theorems,” he says.
Professor Richard C. Larson’s career is a testament to the power of curiosity, humility, and purpose. From an accidental educator to a revered professor, his journey is an inspiring reminder that passion often reveals itself in unexpected ways—and when it does, it can change lives.
Model Thinking for Everyday Life – The Next Chapter
As he looks ahead to the next chapter, Larson is not slowing down. Though officially retired, he remains deeply involved in spreading the principles of “Model Thinking,” a framework he believes is essential for making sense of everyday life. His latest book, MODEL THINKING For Everyday Life, encapsulates this vision. Through it, Larson hopes to empower individuals—students and professionals alike—to apply structured, systems-oriented thinking in navigating a complex world.
With a career marked by innovation, integrity, and inspiration, Professor Richard C. Larson continues to illuminate paths for others to follow—proving that great teaching is not just about imparting knowledge but about transforming lives.
Read Also : Education for All: How Global Partnerships Are Driving Progress
