Richard Fujimoto's research is in the parallel and distributed simulation field. This field encompasses computing technologies associated with the execution of discrete-event simulation programs on multiple processor computers ranging from supercomputers to distributed computing platforms to cell phones. He authored or co-authored three books and hundreds of technical papers on this subject including seven receiving "best paper" awards. His research included simulations of transportation systems, telecommunication networks, computers, and defense systems, among others. He led the development of software systems including the Georgia Tech Time Warp (GTW) and the Federated Simulations Development Kit (FDK) for creating parallel and distributed simulations. He gave numerous keynote addresses and tutorials on parallel and distributed simulation at major international conferences. He led the development of the time management services for the Department of Defense High Level Architecture (IEEE Standard 1516) that was designated as the standard reference architecture for all modeling and simulation in the U.S. Department of Defense.

At Georgia Tech Fujimoto was the founding chair of the School of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE). Serving as chair  from 2005 to 2014 he grew the school to 13 tenure track faculty with annual research expenditures of $8.8 Million in extramural funds. He led the creation of several CSE educational programs at Georgia Tech including the interdisciplinary M.S. and Ph.D. degree programs in CSE, the Modeling and Simulation “thread” in Georgia Tech’s computer science undergraduate program, and two undergraduate minors, as well as the College of Computing’s first on-line degree program (the on-line MS program in CSE). He led the creation and administration of the Computing Research Undergraduate Intern Summer Experience (CRUISE) program emphasizing engagement of undergraduate women and minority students in research. 

Fujimoto received the Ph.D. and M.S. degrees from the University of California-Berkeley in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering and B.S. degrees from the University of Illinois-Urbana in Computer Science and Computer Engineering.  He received the ACM SIGSIM Distinguished Contributions to Simulation Award, the I/ITSEC Fellow Award, and numerous Georgia Tech awards for outstanding research, teaching, and service.  He is a fellow of the ACM, IEEE, and SCS.