The Center for Risk and Reliability (CRR) was formed in 1985 as the umbrella organization for many of the risk and reliability research and development activities at the UMD Clark School of Engineering. CRR research covers a wide range of subjects involving systems and processes, and include topics on predictive reliability modeling and simulation, physics of failure fundamentals, software reliability and human reliability analysis methods, advanced probabilistic inference methods, system-level health monitoring and prognostics, risk analysis theory and applications to complex systems such as space missions, civil aviation, nuclear power plants, petro-chemical installations, medical devices, information systems, and civil infrastructures. Over 20 core and adjunct faculty from various engineering departments of the Clark School of Engineering form the pool of experts at CRR. CRR is also home to numerous research laboratories with extensive state of the art equipment and high performance computers.

CRR is the research arm of the Reliability Engineering educational program, one of the largest and most comprehensive degree granting graduate program in the field of reliability and risk analysis of engineered systems and processes.  The program offers the MS, PhD, and Graduate Certificate in Reliability Engineering and Risk Analysis. All courses are available both through traditional on-campus and online delivery modes.

Due to its interdisciplinary nature CRR is under the administrative umbrella of the Dean of the A.J. Clark School of Engineering. The Center is administratively supported by the Mechanical Engineering Department, the home department for its current full time core faculty. The Center Director is appointed by the Dean for a 5 year term and is a member of the Dean's Administrative Council composed of the College of Engineering Chairs and Directors.