Professor Mark Arnold has wrapped up a successful and multi-faceted 44-year faculty career at the University of Iowa and we wish him the best as he moves on to some hopefully equally engaging and enjoyable retirement adventures! Professor Arnold started his faculty career in our Department of Chemistry in 1982 coming straight from his Ph.D. degree at the University of Delaware and previously earning a B.S. Chemistry degree from Indiana University – Purdue University at Indianapolis. He quickly rose through the ranks and became a full professor in 1994 and in 2005 he was honored with a named chair (the Edwin B. Green Chair Professor in Laser Chemistry). Professor Arnold served as Director of the UI Optical Science and Technology Center (OSTC) for a decade (2000-2010), then was the DEO of Chemistry (2010-2014), and finally embarked on a decade long journey as Director of the University’s distinguished Center for Biocatalysis and Bioprocessing.
Professor Arnold’s long-running and distinguished research career spans many decades of dedicated mentoring of over 120 students at undergraduate, masters, and doctoral levels and at least 38 students received Ph.D. degrees for their research in the Arnold group. Nearly a dozen postdoctoral associates and visiting scientists also contributed to his research program. The group’s research directions included long-running projects to develop near IR spectroscopy for biomedical analysis (such as non-invasive glucose sensing) and terahertz spectroscopy of solids and gases. Professor Arnold is recognized as a pioneer in the use of near-IR spectroscopy for biomedically relevant analyses. Along the way, some group members did other cool things like developing oxygen sensors for a space shuttle mission! Many projects explored by the Arnold Research Group (ARG) benefited from close collaborations with interdisciplinary colleagues both within and outside the University. Some academic findings were developed further by a startup company he co-founded, ASL Analytical. The funding and publications over Professor Arnold’s long career are extensive, with more than $15M in grant funding and 195 publications.
Beyond his distinguished research and valued administrative activities, Professor Arnold is a gifted and creative instructor. His teaching efforts spanned all levels of our analytical chemistry undergraduate and graduate curriculum, including our advanced laboratory and spectroscopy courses. Along the way he also developed novel special topic courses like Ethics in the Chemical Sciences, Upstream Biotechnology Processes, and Chemistry in Industry and the Economy.
In all areas of teaching, research, and service, Mark Arnold has left some big shoes for us to try to fill. On a personal level, we are very grateful for Mark’s constantly positive and supportive collegiality and mentoring of students and faculty, and we hope he stops by now and again to update us on his new retirement adventures.
A message from Professor Mark Arnold to our department and alumni
“Throughout my career at the University of Iowa, I have been most grateful for the freedom to explore, create, and pursue opportunities across disciplines. My fondest memories center on collaborations spanning chemistry, analytical science, engineering, medicine, pharmacy, and biotechnology; developing innovative courses and teaching-laboratory curricula; serving in leadership roles across the university and the scientific community; and helping to translate scientific discoveries into practice through entrepreneurship and industrial partnerships. These experiences reflect the unique culture of creativity and collaboration that has long distinguished Iowa.
As I conclude this chapter, I am grateful to the many faculty, students, staff, and alumni who made the journey so rewarding. It is gratifying to see interdisciplinary scholarship remain an important part of the University's culture, bringing together researchers, educators, centers, institutes, colleges and the Office of the Vice President for Research in ways that connect discovery with education, innovation, and service. I look forward to watching future generations strengthen and expand this enduring foundation.”
