The award honors Dr. Bryan Larsen, founding associate dean for biomedical science at the Marian University Wood College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Larsen recruited the college’s founding faculty, launched the Master of
Science in Biomedical Science program, and helped shape Marian’s identity as a research institution grounded in faith and reason.
“Bryan was instrumental in my career and in the careers of so many others,” said Dr. Jonathan Lowery, assistant provost for research and scholarship. “He built a foundation that continues to inspire our faculty and students. Even those who never met him are touched by his legacy.”
Each year, the Larsen Award will recognize educator-scholars whose research advances knowledge, engages students as collaborators, and strengthens Marian’s Catholic and Franciscan mission. Recipients will deliver a Larsen Lecture, inaugurating a new tradition of celebrating faculty scholarship across the university.
Chief Academic Officer Dr. Binh Q. Tran emphasized the award’s broader impact. “The Larsen Award reflects Marian’s commitment to research as a vital part of our identity as a Catholic university. It ensures that Dr. Larsen’s legacy continues to inspire our growth as the nation’s first Franciscan Research University.”
Dr. Larsen expressed gratitude for the recognition: “I’m pleased by this award, not because it carries my name, but because it affirms the importance of research at Marian. I hope that it inspires future generations of faculty to pursue discovery that enriches their fields, their students, and the common good.”
The first Larsen Lecture is planned for Fall 2026, marking the launch of a new campus tradition that celebrates the power of inquiry and innovation at Marian University.
Those wishing to honor Dr. Larsen’s legacy may contribute to the Dr. Bryan Larsen Excellence in Research Endowed Fund by contacting Mark Erdosy in Marian’s Office of Institutional Advancement at merdosy@marian.edu.