Departmental Seminars - Seminar Series: Olsen

The Richard Olsen Lecture Series

Richard OlsenThe Richard Olsen Lecture Series in Chemistry has been established by Richard K Olsen, a respected teacher and researcher, who spent most of his professional career as a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry of Utah State University.  The Lectureship is in honor of the memory of his parents, Kenneth Beal & Sarah Young Olsen, and is in appreciation to the Department for the opportunity to realize the goal of serving as a University Professor.

Professor Olsen was born in Provo, UT in 1935.  He attended Brigham Young University where he earned his BS in chemistry in 1960.  He then went on to graduate school at the University of Illinois, obtaining a doctorate in 1964.  During his graduate studies, Professor Olsen was a National Science Foundation Fellow and a Public Health Service Fellow.  Next on his agenda was postdoctoral research at the Stanford Research Institute and the University of Utah.

Professor Olsen began his faculty appointment as Assistant Professor at Utah State University in 1967.  He quickly rose up through the ranks, first to Associate Professor (1970) and then to full Professor (1978).  His research interests focused on the synthesis of peptide antibiotics and novel amino acids.  He has been the recipient of numerous research grants from prestigious agencies such as the National Institutes of Health.  During his time at Utah State, Professor Olsen mentored 19 PhD and MS students, as well as a dozen postdoctoral fellows.  He authored nearly 60 articles in peer-reviewed journals and wrote four review articles.

Professor Olsen is fondly remembered by many students who have taken his organic chemistry class.  Even in retirement, he has volunteered to serve as a tutor and mentor to students enrolled in this course.  Since retirement, Professor Olsen has developed his interest in fine art, and has become one of the prominent artists in the area.  His paintings have appeared in a number of shows in Cache Valley.  He was kind enough to donate some of his work to the Department, where it is proudly displayed in the Department’s library.  Richard is married to LaVina; together they have five children.