DaiWai Olson started his career as a nurse in 1986. While working in the Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit at Duke University, he obtained his PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 2012 he joined the faculty at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX where he is now a Professor of Neurology and Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Southwestern Academy of Teachers.

His research focuses on developing a deeper understanding of how nursing care contributes to patient outcomes following acquired brain injury. In this endeavor, he has published over 350 manuscripts, 2 books, 16 book chapters, and 250 scientific abstracts. Olson is the Editor for the Journal of Neuroscience Nursing, and the co-chair of the international Curing Coma Campaign. He has had the privilege to present his scientific work to audiences in 39 states, 12 countries and 6 continents.