Dolan graduated from Alfred University with a Bachelor of Arts in English and history in 1984. He subsequently completed his graduate work at the University of Rochester, where he studied U.S. Cold War strategy, European history, and international diplomacy. Before that, he had studied at Alfred University and Oxford University, and had been a finalist for a Rhodes scholarship.

Dolan became interested in UFOs in 1994 and is best known for his two-part books series, UFOs and the National Security State, which is a comprehensive study of the United States government’s response to UFO phenomena from 1941-1991. Dolan has since become a publisher with Richard Dolan Press, which features the work of many leading thinkers exploring alternative subjects.

Richard Dolan is among the world’s leading UFO historians and believes they constitute “the greatest mystery of our time.” He has lectured around the world and appeared on numerous television networks, including The History Channel, SyFy, BBC, and in numerous documentaries. Currently, he is the writer and host of the series False Flags, which appears on Gaia TV, and begun writing a book on the same subject. He also hosts his own radio shows, The Richard Dolan Show on KGRA, and is a frequent guest on Coast-to-Coast AM. Dolan also teaches Introduction to Ufology, an online class offered through the International Metaphysical University as part of its ufology program.