Dr. Murry received his B.S. and M.S. in Physics from the University of Houston, in 1994 Electrical and 1997, respectively, and his Ph. D. in and Computer Engineering also from the University of Houston in 1999. His research concerned high-powered semiconductor laser devices, including topics related to advanced crystal growth techniques, fabrication technologies, and heat dissipation in laser devices. While at UH, Mr. Murry supported the Wake Shield Facility’s three shuttle missions, including working as a Payload Specialist at the Johnson Space Center. In this capacity he extended the crystal growth techniques pioneered in the University’s laboratories to the Wake Shield’s orbiting laboratory.
In 1997, along with then-Associate Professor Thompson Lin, Dr. Murry participated in the founding of Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (AOI), a company formed to commercialize the semiconductor technology developed at UH. Dr. Murry has spent the last 15 years directing AOI’s expansion from a niche supplier of mid-infrared lasers into the world’s largest supplier of fiber-optic components and equipment for the cable television industry, and one of the largest manufacturers of fiber-optic devices overall. Dr. Murry has been responsible for AOI’s global sales and marketing activities since its founding. Today, AOI employs over 750 people in Sugar Land, TX, Ningbo, China, and Taipei, Taiwan. The company’s revenues are approaching $70 million annually, and it counts among its customers companies including Cisco Systems, Motorola, Amazon.com, Huawei, Microsoft, and more than 300 other companies in 27
countries around the world.
Dr. Murry lives in Houston, along with his wife Adrienne (a graduate of the UH Bauer College of Business in 2003) and two daughters, Caton (8) and Charlotte (5). He has served on the Board of Directors of the UH Cullen College of Engineering Alumni Association and in 2011 was awarded the Entrepreneurship/Innovation alumni award from the Association.
In addition to his professional activities, Dr. Murry is a nationally-ranked sailplane racing pilot who serves on the Board of Directors of the Greater Houston Soaring Association, where he is an active flight instructor.