The Olofsson Research Group

I am a professor of Organic Chemistry since 2013. I serve as the Dean of Chemistry since 2019, and act as the chair of the steering board of the recently created center SUCCeSS (Stockholm University Center for Circular and Sustainable Systems).

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 (Lektor) in 2009.
I was promoted to Full Professor in 2013.

Merits

• Awarded Arrheniusplaketten by the Swedish Chemical Society 2021, see the motivation here!
• Member of the Angew. Chem. International advisory board since 2020.
• Received the Lindbomska belöningen (Lindbomska reward) by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 2019.
• Elected as a Chemistry Europe Fellow in 2018. 
• Secretary and vice chair of the Division of Organic Chemistry in EuCheMS since 2018.
• Vice chair of the International Scientific Committee of the European Symposium on Organic Chemistry (ESOC) since 2017
• 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.