Richard M. Wiesman ’76, SM ’76, PhD ’83, a professor of applied sciences in the Department of Mechanical Engineering (MechE) at MIT, died Sunday, January 7. He was 69.
A technology innovator and leader who has seen many complicated engineered systems come to market, Wiesman’s work has spanned everything from laboratory development to field implementation. His broad skills in all aspects of automation and robotics—including design, control, communications, locomotion, actuation, sensing, and power—have brought a unique perspective to the education of MIT students and made him a formidable educator, mentor, and colleague.
“Dr. Wiesman’s great enthusiasm for teaching, coupled with his distinguished career in industry, was a great inspiration to our students,” says John Hart, department chair and professor of mechanical engineering. “He will be greatly missed.”
Wiesman taught MechE in the early 1980s and from 2005 to 2007, and was named Professor of the Practice in 2007. He has taught and supervised research in the areas of design, product development, robotics, control, and manufacturing, and has served as co-director of the Field and Space Robotics Laboratory at MIT. In recent years, he has served on the teaching faculty of 2.00B, 2.007, 2.008, 2.009, and 2.810, and has collaborated with and inspired multiple generations of students, including as instructor of 2.009 last fall.
Wiesman was born on October 7, 1954, to Harold and Elaine Wiesman. He had two brothers, John and Ron, and grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, before coming to MIT for college. Wiesman earned bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees in MechE from MIT. His doctoral thesis was on high-speed linear induction machines for transportation applications, which led to work on the U.S. Navy’s electromagnetic launch system and Advanced Arresting Gear.
Wiesman’s work in mobile robotics began with the development of a fresh class of robots for explosive ordnance disposal. That development has turned into a profitable business in mobile robots for perilous terrestrial tasks—including specialty robots for internal pipe inspection, robots for warehousing and packaging, and feature analysis of robotic teams for planetary exploration.
Wiesman worked at Foster Miller/QinetiQ for more than 40 years, starting as an engineer and ending as executive vice president and chief technology officer. He most recently served as a senior scientist at General Atomics and a member of the Industrial Growth Advisory Board at Arsenal Capital. In 2021, he shared Reflections on his career in mechanical engineering with the MechE students, telling them in his summary: “I think you have chosen an absolutely wonderful career.”
The Institute is also where Wiesman met his wife of 44 years, Suzanne. Together they enjoyed traveling, hiking, snowshoeing, spending time with friends, and, most of all, raising their three children.
Wiesman is survived by his wife, son Josh and his wife Kristina, son David and his wife Haley, son Ben and his wife Emily, and grandchildren, Elena, John, William and Julian, for whom he had great affection and served as “Papa.”
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider donation to the American Heart Association.