Dr. George Andrew Olah was a Hungarian-American chemist who made foundational contributions to organic chemistry and served as the Donald P. and Katherine B. Loker Distinguished Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Southern California. Born in Budapest, Hungary on May 22, 1927, he earned his B.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the Technical University of Budapest before teaching there as a professor of organic chemistry from 1949 to 1954. Following the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, he emigrated first to the United Kingdom, then to Canada, and finally to the United States in 1965, where he joined Western Reserve University as a professor and department chair. He later moved to the University of Southern California in 1977, where he founded and directed the Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute, establishing one of the world's premier centers for hydrocarbon chemistry research.
Dr. Olah revolutionized organic chemistry through his groundbreaking research on carbocations, electrically charged molecules previously believed to be too short-lived for experimental study. His innovative use of very strong acids, known as superacids, allowed him to stabilize carbocations in solution with sufficiently long lifespans to enable detailed experimental observation and structural analysis. This seminal work, which began in the early 1960s, fundamentally transformed understanding of reaction mechanisms in organic chemistry and earned him the 1994 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. His discoveries led to significant practical applications in petroleum refining processes and the development of more efficient, less-polluting fuels, demonstrating the profound real-world impact of his fundamental chemical research.
Beyond his experimental breakthroughs, Dr. Olah established the Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute at USC, creating a world-renowned center that fostered generations of chemists and advanced research in sustainable energy solutions. He received numerous prestigious honors including the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, the Priestley Medal (the highest honor from the American Chemical Society), and the Richard C. Tolman Award. Throughout his distinguished career, he maintained an unwavering commitment to advancing chemical knowledge, publishing extensively, and mentoring young scientists while continuing research even after receiving the Nobel Prize. Dr. Olah passed away on March 8, 2017 in Los Angeles at the age of 89, leaving an enduring legacy that continues to influence both theoretical and applied chemistry worldwide through the George A. Olah Lecture in Chemistry and ongoing research at the institute he founded.
