At Clarkson University’s commencement ceremony on May 9, 2026, Professor Joseph Loo received an honorary Doctor of Science degree and delivered the commencement address.
Clarkson University recognized Loo for his internationally recognized leadership in mass spectrometry and proteomics, pioneering contributions to protein structure analysis and disease biomarker discovery, for his work as a highly cited scientist and prolific impact on analytical chemistry, and his longstanding support of the university as an alumnus, mentor and benefactor.
“Dr. Joseph Loo’s career exemplifies our University’s mission and impact, as well as the power of curiosity and scientific excellence,” President Michelle B. Larson said. “Through his leadership in advancing mass spectrometry and biomedical research, he has made contributions that are improving lives around the world. We are proud to honor him as a Clarkson alumnus whose work reflects the very best of our values.” Read the full press release here.
Loo grew up in Potsdam, New York, where he attended local schools before earning his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Clarkson College of Technology (now Clarkson University) and he received his Ph.D. degree in analytical chemistry from Cornell University in 1988.
He continued his scientific training as a postdoctoral fellow and later as a senior research scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Washington. Prior to joining UCLA, he served as an associate research fellow at Parke-Davis Pharmaceutical Research in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which later became part of Pfizer.
At UCLA, Loo is a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, and the Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California.
Loo has received numerous national and international honors recognizing his pioneering contributions to mass spectrometry and proteomics. His accolades include the 2024 American Chemical Society (ACS) Frank H. Field and Joe L. Franklin Award for Outstanding Achievement in Mass Spectrometry, one of the field’s highest honors; the 2021 Eastern Analytical Symposium Award for Outstanding Achievement in Mass Spectrometry; and election as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in recognition of his distinguished scientific contributions.
Loo currently serves as Past-President of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry, which represents more than 8,500 scientists from academia, industry and government laboratories.
Photos by Nathan Lashomb, courtesy of Clarkson University.
Penny Jennings, UCLA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, penjen@g.ucla.edu.
