Olav Ingvar Ullaland

I loved working with Olav on the Delphi Rich detectors and in the TA2 group, it was rewarding and also fun - he always insisted on rigorous scientific method and set extremely high standards of hard work and detailed quality research but he also liked to wind down and laugh and joke in the evening at apéro. We had confidence in his decisions at work because his technical judgment was always spot-on. As project leader and group leader he was always fair and supportive and encouraged all his colleagues to pursue their technical and career development. Countless students passed through the University of Ullaland and all received a priceless training and experience in experimental physics. Farewell Olav, we will all miss you.

Olav was the supervisor of one of my fellow LHCb summer students way back in 2005 which is how I got to know him. I will always remember his generosity, his dedication to the pursuit of physics and his fantastic taste in food!

Olav was central to my introduction to LHCb, and I will always remain sincerely indebted to our working Family. I see that I am very privileged to be a small piece is such a progressive and innovative puzzle.
Olav instilled self-belief and steered us along a path of achieving the seemingly unachievable. Under his guidance we blossomed, and we dared to believe.
His demeanour encouraged personal development, development beyond the science; to be the best that we can be.
I will miss Olav, but I will not forget him.
Yours, eternally grateful.
Trevor

Takk for gode minner frå barndommen.

Det var alltid spennende når onkel Olav skulle komme på besøk. I asurblå kabriolet sportsbil, opp fra Europa med kule gaver og spennende historier. For oss barna var du annerledes, eksotisk, gøy og veldig kul. Vi har mange gode minner og vi vil savne deg mye.

When we met 30 years ago, he set a standard on how I wanted to relate with colleagues: the hierarchy hidden under a layer of robust friendship. I never felt a "subordinate" while working with Olav, but always a colleague who had much to learn. Still today, he's the only person I refer to as "my boss". I visited him last summer, and his humor was intact. As he would say, I'm sure the good Lord is enjoying his company now, in front of a beer, smoking a cigarette. Cheers to you Olav.

I spent decisive years in RICH group of the DELPHI experiment under Olavs leadership, and during all this time I was impressed not only by his technical knowledge, but in particular how he lead a highly non-trivial project, kept the motivation of this small team even in times of high pressure, and mentored us junior members.

Unfortunately, the last time I met Olav is now far in the past, but I will never forget the very human way he communicated with everybody, and everything I learned from him.

My sincere condolences.

A colleague and, more importantly, a friend for over 40 years. I shall miss his wit, graciousness and generosity. The world is a colder place without him.

Takk for mange fine stunder i lag med deg, når slekta møttest på Bufast og Kaldestad.
Helsing Hogne.og Britt Astrid.

Dear Olav,

For 27 years my friend, and as many years my senior, you have from the beginning treated me as an equal. Like so many of your students I owe you immensely for your advice, your support in my early career and in general in life. With your warmth and constancy you were a haven to turn to in the evening for Apero, where one could be sure to find you, ready to listen to all the little worries, successes, important or not. In your loyalty to your team, your friends and our lab I try to follow you. If there is a special place in heaven for detector physicists, I am sure youll be there to argue with, poke fun at and enjoy the company of those greats who have gone before. I have missed you ever since you went back to your beloved Norway. Now youre a bit further away still, and we cant exchange flowers and sweets, but youll be in my thoughts and prayers. Yours, Niko

Olav was such a great and knowledgeable leader, entertaining company and a really decent man. I really enjoyed the time I spent at CERN with Olav 20 years ago, he gently brought Italian and British teams together with his group at CERN to build the huge RICH2 detector. He was always quick to celebrate success by hosting a generous impromptu party. I last saw him when he flew to the UK to attend a colleagues funeral 10 years ago - so typical of his sense of duty and warmth. He will be missed by all who had the privilege to work with him.

For over a decade we used to share a large fraction of our daytime together.
Olav always had a positive attitude. He was joking, often in a deadpan manner, about the news.
It was funny how Olav used to highlight comical situations. The comic strips included in his presentations added a hilarious touch. I loved his tiny satirical spirit, which could make his message well clear.
In addition to his recognize expertise on high energy physics, Olav was well pragmatic. His broad knowledge in engineering, had allowed to choose the right choices to construct the best detectors.
Olav will stay in my memories.

Olav managed a team working on the LHCb experiment with great warmth and empathy as well as deep technical insight. To have worked with him was a pleasure and a privilege, and I will miss his smile.

Olav was a great person who had shown incredible human qualities in a critical period of my life.

Accept my warmest condolences.

For several years, when we worked together, Olav sent me a Valentine's card on the 14th of February.
RIP, Olav

It was a great honour and privilege to be counted among Olav's numerous colleagues and friends. His personal and professional integrity will always be exemplary. I will always cherish the moments of discussion, chatting and joking I experienced with Olav. He will be sorely missed.
Thank you and good-bye Dear Friend!

Kjære onkel Olav,
Du spredte alltid masse glede og eventyr, husket alltid på oss, og var en stor inspirasjon. Vi savner deg!
Hilsen, Anne Grete, Robert, Sindre og Solveig

I worked with Olav from the early 2000s until he retired. I always looked forward to having a beer on Wednesday evenings (always same time, same place) discussing work and world affairs. He will be greatly missed. My deepest condolences

It is with great sadness that I learned about Olav passing away... We have been working in the same CERN experiment since 1984, and I could appreciate not only his great skills as physicists but also his great human qualities and his unforgettable sense of humour...
All my condolences to his family and friends