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Richard W. Lariviere facts for kids

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Richard W. Lariviere
Richard Lariviere.jpg
Born
Nationality American
Education University of Iowa (BA) (1972)
University of Pennsylvania (PhD) (1978)
Spouse(s) Janis Worcester (1971–present)
Scientific career
Institutions University of Texas at Austin (1982–2006)
University of Kansas (2006–2009)
University of Oregon (2009–2011)
Field Museum (2012–2020)

Richard W. Lariviere is a smart scholar who knows a lot about Sanskrit, an ancient language from India. He has also been in charge of big universities and museums. He was the president of the University of Oregon and later led the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois.

Early Life and Learning

Richard Lariviere was born in Chicago and grew up in Marshalltown, Iowa. He loved learning about the history of religion. He went to the University of Iowa and then earned a special degree in Sanskrit from the University of Pennsylvania.

After spending time in India, he became an expert in Indian languages, history, and culture. He has written many articles and books about India. He can read eight different languages and speaks French and Hindi! He has traveled all over the world to study, visiting places like London, Paris, Tokyo, and Beijing.

Career Highlights

Richard Lariviere has had an important career leading different organizations.

Leading Universities

He was the president of the University of Oregon from July 2009 until November 2011. While there, he worked to make the higher education system in Oregon better. Before that, he worked at the University of Kansas and the University of Texas at Austin. At the University of Texas, he was in charge of international programs.

Leading the Field Museum

From October 2012 until August 2020, Mr. Lariviere was the president and CEO of the Field Museum in Chicago. The Field Museum is a very famous museum that studies nature and culture. He retired from this role in August 2020.

Other Work

Mr. Lariviere also worked as a helper for American and Indian companies that use computers and technology. He also served on the boards of some technology companies.

Awards and Honors

Richard Lariviere has received many awards for his hard work and contributions.

He is a member of important groups like the Council on Foreign Relations and the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain. He has won awards for his outstanding work, including the Margaret C. Berry Award.

In 1994, he was chosen by the Royal Dutch Academy to give a special lecture. In 1996, a famous French college, the Collège de France, honored him as a special professor. His book about Indian law was even named the best book of the year on South Asia in 1989.

In Chicago, he was part of important clubs like the Economic Club of Chicago. He also received the NAACP Community Service award in 2011 and an award from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2015. In 2019, he was chosen to be a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

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