What Should Spectroscopists Be Paying Attention to in 2026?

The year 2026 is shaping up to be a busy one in the field of spectroscopy. Because of the technological advancements being made, as well as the current economic conditions researchers face, the circumstances are ripe for there to be a lot of moving parts in 2026. Changes in scientific procedures, analytical methods, and industry practices will play a key role in what spectroscopists will be concerned about in 2026.

Recently, I just returned from the 2026 Winter Conference on Plasma Spectrochemistry, which was held from January 11–17, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona. At the conference, I had the opportunity to sit down with various experts in the field to get their thoughts about the state of spectroscopy. This video is a compilation of the comments I received from those conversations.

About the Experts

Gerardo Gamez is a professor of chemistry and biochemistry and Graduate Advisor at Texas Tech University. His research involves using glow-discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GDOES) to improve chemical imaging.¹

Ken Marcus is an internationally recognized analytical chemist and longtime Clemson University faculty member whose career spans nearly four decades of research, teaching, and mentorship, including the supervision of more than 60 graduate students and service on multiple international journal advisory boards.² His research focuses on developing advanced plasma-based atomic spectroscopy and mass spectrometry techniques.²

Martin Resano is a Coordinator of the Rapid Analysis Methods with Spectroscopic Techniques (MARTE) group and as part of the Aragon Institute for Engineering Research (I3A) at the University of Zaragoza.³ His research team works with inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and laser-assisted techniques to develop minimally invasive approaches for clinical analysis.³

Sarah Theiner is a Sales Manager at Nu Instruments. Her research integrates laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), single-cell ICP-MS, and quantitative calibration strategies to tackle biological and clinical research questions, advancing atomic spectroscopy for elemental and imaging-based studies.⁴ Her work focuses on high-resolution elemental imaging, cellular metallomics, and metal-based anticancer compounds, using chemometrics to enhance imaging and drug-distribution analysis in biomedical research.⁴

References

1. Gamez, G.; Wetzel, W. Previewing a Talk on Glow Discharge Optical Emission Spectroscopy. Spectroscopy. Available at: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/previewing-a-talk-on-glow-discharge-optical-emission-spectroscopy (accessed 2026-02-09).
2. Marcus, R. K.; Wetzel, W.; Chasse, J. Improving High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry Platforms. Spectroscopy. Available at: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/improving-high-resolution-mass-spectrometry-platforms (accessed 2026-02-09).
3. Resano, M.; Wetzel, W. Inside the Laboratory: The MARTE Group at the University of Zaragoza. Spectroscopy. Available at: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/inside-the-laboratory-the-marte-group-at-the-university-of-zaragoza (accessed 2026-02-09).
4. Workman, Jr., J. The 2026 Emerging Leader in Atomic Spectroscopy Award. Spectroscopy. Available at: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/the-2026-emerging-leader-in-atomic-spectroscopy-award (accessed 2026-02-09).