Leadership

Dr. Rick Muller serves as the Director of the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA). As IARPA's sixth full-time director, he is responsible for implementing high-risk, high-payoff, technically viable research programs to address the Intelligence Community's most challenging intelligence gaps and provide our nation with an overwhelming intelligence advantage. Prior to joining IARPA, Dr. Muller was senior manager of Quantum and Advanced Microsystems at Sandia National Laboratories and led the Quantum Information Science program there. He also served as the director of Department of Energy's (DOE) Quantum Systems Accelerator, one of the five centers DOE created under the National Quantum Initiative. From 2016 to 2017, Dr. Muller led the drive for advanced computational capabilities for national security as part of the Joint Program Office for the National Strategic Computing Initiative. Before taking on management roles, his research interests focused on developing computational methods to predict the behavior and applications of novel materials, molecules, and devices. Dr. Muller holds a bachelor's degree from Rice University and a doctorate from the California Institute of Technology in chemistry. Dr. Muller was raised outside of Chicago and enjoys baking bread, drinking coffee, and spending time with his wife Tess and their son Alex.

Dr. La Rhonda Nicholas joined IARPA in July 2023 as the Deputy Director, to partner with the Director in leading the implementation of high-risk, high-payoff technically viable research programs that address the IC’s most challenging intelligence gaps. Coming from industry as a polymeric materials research engineer, Dr. Nicholas joined the CIA in 2001 as a Materials Engineer, amassing multiple positions to advance R&D efforts in biometrics, biomaterials, data integration, and cyber over the course of her career. Her previous assignments include a variety of notable positions across the IC, to include a dual-hatted position as the DNI and DCIA Senior Representative to the Department of Defense, where she ensured effective communication and collaboration on sensitive operational and intelligence matters. Dr. Nicholas also served as the DNI appointed Program Manager for the JASONS corporate program and a Legislative Assistant on the personal staff of a Congressman in the US House of Representatives. As a member of the CIA Senior Technical Service, she has a proven record of leading change, implementing strategic direction and collaborative teambuilding. Dr. Nicholas received her Ph.D. and M.S. in Materials Engineering from University of Maryland College Park and her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Hampton University.

Dr. William Benard joined IARPA in May 2024 as the Office Director for Collection Research. His primary research interests are: the science of design; distributed sensing; design and manufacture of complex products; additive manufacturing; and semiconductor materials, devices, and architectures. Prior to arriving at IARPA, Dr. Benard was Chief of the Photonics Electronics and Quantum Sciences Division at the DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory (ARL). He has also served in a range or roles including as ARL’s Senior Campaign Scientist for Materials Research, Acting Chief of the Electro-Optics and Photonics Division, and Manager of ARL’s Specialty Electronic Materials and Sensors Cleanroom (SEMASC). His research initiatives have included working on a wide range of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) programs, including inertial sensors, X-ray lithography systems, and optical switches, as well as NASA payloads, multiple genomic X-prize efforts, and radiation detectors. Dr. Benard holds a Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, a M.Sc. in electrical engineering and applied physics from Case Western Reserve University, and a B.Sc. in electrical engineering from the University of Witwatersrand.

Dr. Jack Cooper rejoined IARPA in January 2025 as the Office Director for Analysis, now leading the office where he previously served as a Program Manager. Prior to returning to IARPA, Dr. Cooper was the Division Chief for Predictive & Forensic Analytics at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) Research & Development Directorate. There, he consolidated algorithm development activities into larger strategic thrusts tightly aligned to NGA mission, significantly increasing the number of operational transitions. Dr. Cooper also served NGA as a Senior Staff Scientist, creating and executing programs to automate Motion GEOINT processing and preparing NGA for new data streams through prototyping and field experiments. As an IARPA Program Manager, Dr. Cooper led three programs focused on automating and scaling the Intelligence Community's ability to detect and characterize human activity in a variety of mediums. Dr. Cooper graduated from Clemson University in 2012 with both doctorate and master's degrees in mathematical sciences. He previously graduated from the University of Maryland in 2007 with a bachelors' degree in mathematics and government and politics.