The Olofsson Research Group

I am a professor of Organic Chemistry since 2013, and serve as the Deputy Director of the recently created center SUCCeSS (Stockholm University Center for Circular and Sustainable Systems) since 2024.

Academic background

I studied Chemical Engineering at LuTH (Luleå) and LTH (Lund), and got my engineering degree (civilingenjör) in 1998 after a degree project work at Akzo Nobel Central Research in Arnhem, the Netherlands.

I have a PhD from KTH (Stockholm) on asymmetric, divergent synthesis of vicinal amino alcohols via vinylepoxides and vinylaziridines (with Peter Somfai, 1998-2002). 

Post doc studies at Bristol University, UK with Varinder K. Aggarwal in 2003-2004. The project started out as a total synthesis of (-)-Epibatidine including methodology development of alfa-arylation of ketones. Returning to Sweden, I became assistant supervisor in the group of Prof. J.-E. Bäckvall at Stockholm University (SU).

I started my independent career in 2006, with a position as Assistant Professor at SU. I became "Docent" in March 2008, and got a permanent position as Associate Professor in 2009.
I was promoted to Full Professor in 2013.

Merits

• Panel member ERC Consolidator Grant 2024
• Received the EuChemS Division of Organic Chemistry Award for Service 2024. Read more at the Swedish Chemical Society website.
• President of the International Scientific Committee of the European Symposium on Organic Chemistry (ESOC) since 2023.
• Member of the Chem advisory board since 2023.
• Severed as the Dean of Chemistry 2019-2023.
• Awarded Arrheniusplaketten by the Swedish Chemical Society 2021, see the motivation here!
• Member of the Angew. Chem. International advisory board since 2020.
• Secretary and vice chair of the Division of Organic Chemistry in EuCheMS 2018-2022.
• Received the Lindbomska belöningen (Lindbomska reward) by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 2019.
• Elected as a Chemistry Europe Fellow in 2018. 
• Board Member of Carl Trygger Foundation (CTS) since 2017.
• Spent 3 months at Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Studies (STIAS), South Africa as a  Fellow (2014 - 2015), funded by Marianne & Marcus Wallenberg Foundation.
• Member of the International Scientific Committee of the Hypervalent Iodine conference series (ICHIC) since 2010. 
• Recipient of Junior Scientists Participation Grant at Bürgenstock Conference in 2006

Hobbies etc

Participated in the long distance sport events "En Svensk Klassiker" (A Swedish Classic) in 2016, consisting of 4 different races:

1) Vasaloppet - the world's oldest, longest and biggest long distance skiing competition. 90 km in March, time 8 hours & 44 min.
2)Vätternrundan - a 300 km bike race around lake Vättern in July.The time was 9 hours and 30 min, corresponding to 31.6 km/h (including stops to repair flat tires etc).
3) Vansbrosimningen - a 3 km open water swim in July (time 1:11).
4) Lidingöloppet - the worlds largest cross country running race in September. 30 hilly km in 3:03.

Total time 22 hours and 30 minutes, well below the 24 h limit to do a "Super Classic".

Active in the local network "Ett Hållbart Täby" (A Sustainable Täby), which strives to reduce the climate impact of the Täby municipality.

Dedicated to inlines- & ice skating, proud member of Stockholm Speedskaters.
Also fond of music, travelling & spending time with our daughters Isa & Ronja and our GSD Emmy.