Bio

Academic Background

Dr. Olson has an M.A. in Educational Psychology and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience, specializing in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuropsychology and Neuroanatomy from the University of Illinois where he taught neuroanatomy for graduate and medical students and studied recognition memory for complex scenes (doctoral thesis) and aesthetic preferences for outdoor scenes using eye movement technology, 3-D attention with EEG, volitional control systems (master's thesis), and the effects of pheromones on relaxation and aesthetic preferences for faces. (see CV)

Sustainability

He’s the former Operations Manager for the Sustainability in Motion Bicycle Tour (CommonCircle) where he developed a sustainability education curriculum and designed week-long bicycle tours to sustainability-related farms, organizations, and businesses in Oregon and Hawaii. He is the current VP of Kaua`i Path, and a certified permaculture instructor who has lived and worked closely with prominent permaculture designers. He has worked with Common Ground in Kaua'i developing databases that track all inputs (materials, hours, money, equipment) and outputs (fruits, vegetables, plus soil microbiology) of an agricultural project in order to accurately assess it's ecological effectiveness.

Bodywork and Somatic Therapies

Dr. Olson is the former Program Director of the Massage Therapy Program at Pioneer Pacific College in Oregon, the former anatomy and massage instructor at the Big Island Academy of Massage in Hilo, and a former neuroanatomy instructor at the Traditional Chinese Medicine College of Hawaii. Currently he is an anatomy and kinesiology instructor at the Massage Therapy Program at Kaua`i Community College, the Pacific Center for Awareness and Bodywork in Kilauea, the Massage Program at Kalani Honua on the Big Island, and the YogAlign Training at the Kaua`i Yoga School in Princeville. He is also a massage and aquatic therapist and has training and experience in Trancendental Meditation, Vipassana, and Nonviolent Communication.

Workshops

Dr. Olson offers workshops that offer a neuroscientific perspective on topics such as spirituality, sexuality, and sustainable society that most people find deeply personal and relevant.

Photo: Joy Reyneke