Current Coblentz President’s Message
September 2026
I hope you will join us at SciX this year. The Coblentz Society has an exciting program planned, including our member dinner, speed mentoring, vibrational spectroscopy sessions, award symposia, and opportunities to connect with colleagues and welcome new members. I especially encourage you to attend the plenary lectures honoring the 2026 Lippincott Award recipient, Jürgen Popp, and the 2026 Craver Award recipient, Rohith Reddy. SciX remains one of our most meaningful opportunities to exchange ideas, celebrate scientific achievement, and encourage the next generation of spectroscopists.
We also mourn the passing of Peter Griffiths, a giant in the field of vibrational spectroscopy whose influence extended across more than half a century. Peter served the Coblentz Society as a Board member and as President during the 1970s, providing leadership that helped shape the Society and strengthen the scientific community it serves. His pioneering scholarship advanced vibrational spectroscopy, while his teaching, writing, and generous engagement with colleagues helped make that knowledge accessible to generations of scientists. His landmark book Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry, co-authored with Jim de Haseth, became an essential resource for students and researchers worldwide and remains a trusted reference today. It also played an important role in my own education as a graduate student. Shortly before Peter’s passing, I wrote to him on behalf of the Society to express our gratitude for his extraordinary service and enduring impact. His daughter Megan shared that the family read the message to him and believed the words were deeply meaningful.
Peter’s legacy lives on in the science he advanced, the Society he helped build, and the countless spectroscopists whose work continues to be shaped by his contributions. I encourage all our members to read the obituaries and tributes honoring Peter, including the Coblentz Society remembrance written by Ian Lewis. Together, these remembrances provide a fuller appreciation of Peter’s remarkable life, his profound influence on vibrational spectroscopy, and the lasting impact he had on colleagues and students throughout our community.
Rohith Reddy
President of the Coblentz Society