Scripps Research's Skaggs Graduate School awards doctoral degrees to 34th graduating class May 21, 2026
Scripps Research's Skaggs Graduate School of Chemical and Biological Sciences awarded doctoral degrees to 49 graduate students during the institute's 34th commencement on May 15, 2026. The ceremony also featured the conferral of honorary degrees to two notable researchers who have left an indelible mark on their fields of study and the training of generations of scientists.
Opening the ceremony and welcoming the assembled graduates, faculty and supporters, Keary M. Engle, PhD, the John and Susan Diekman Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, framed the day's celebration in the context of the Skaggs Graduate School's recent top rankings by U.S. News & World Report.
Rankings are not our goal, however they do reflect our mission, which is to recruit, train, mentor and launch the best young scientists in the world who will go on to shape a new era of science, said Engle. Collectively, were changing what is possible in science and medicine through a commitment to basic science research in an environment that encourages and accelerates translation. The students whose stories youll hear about today stood at the bench alongside us over the last several years working tirelessly toward this goal.
After describing many of the skills that graduates were required to master and hurdles overcome on their path toward a doctoral degree, Engle concluded his remarks by encouraging the 49 new alumni to apply their talents toward making a positive impact in areas of great need.
Right now, more than ever, the world needs people who are trained to ask hard questions, demand rigorous evidence and remain curious and optimistic, said Engle. As you leave here today, carry this with you. You are trained at one of the finest scientific institutions in the world. Youll now join the ranks of hundreds of alumni who are leading drug discovery programs, founding biotech companies, shaping science policy, teaching at universities around the world, and so much more. The problems worth solving ahead of you wont be easy, but you are not here because youve chosen an easy path. Youre here because youre exactly the type of scientist the world needs to solve hard problems.
Before introducing the ceremony's keynote speaker, Scripps Research President and CEO Pete Schultz, PhD, the L.S. Sam Skaggs Presidential Chair, addressed the graduating students with several words of advice. Among his encouragements, he urged the graduates to use their training and talent to leave a positive impact on the world.
Ive been doing science for quite some time, and I never viewed it as a job. I actually view it as a privilege, said Schultz. Our privilege is to explore science and the world around us. But with that privilege comes a huge obligation to give back to the society that enables us to do what we love.
Prior to the introduction of the graduating students, Schultz welcomed the ceremony's guest speaker, noted chemist Peter Dervan, PhD, an emeritus faculty member at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and pioneer in the field of chemical biology, who gave the keynote address. After Schultz's introduction, Dervan shared his confidence in the assembled graduates.
A commencement speaker often gives a few bits of wisdom collected along the way, but I dont have to worry about this group, Pete, because I think theyve figured it out, said Dervan, turning to the graduates. Work on important problems. Swing for the fences. Take risks, and as Pete said, failure is great. It teaches us, it makes us stronger, refines us. Be a nice person in the lab. Collaboration accelerates the journey. Be a learner, and then pay it forward; be a mentor to others. But, this is the most important one, and its going to be the most important one now ethics are important. Integrity of self and data are sacred.
After the conferral of the graduating students' doctoral degrees, Schultz returned to the stage to grant two honorary degrees: one to Dervan and another to Scripps Research faculty member and noted structural biologist Professor Ian Wilson. Wilson has been an active participant in the institute's graduate program since its inception in 1989, and worked closely with the institute's then-president Richard Lerner, MD to design and launch the program. Wilson served as advisor and mentor to the first graduate student to receive a doctoral degree from Scripps Research.
Ian has contributed enormously, not only to Scripps, but also to science and to medicine, and its a real pleasure to confer upon him an honorary degree, said Schultz.
With Friday's commencement, the number of alumni of Scripps Research's doctoral program increased to nearly 1,100. Many of this year's graduates are extending their doctoral training into new research areas as postdoctoral scholars at universities while others are launching their careers with positions at pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Others will apply their knowledge and experience to different career paths entirely, including public policy, venture capital, patent law and education.
Profiles of many of this year's graduates and a recording of the full ceremony can be viewed on the institute's 2026 Graduation webpage, scripps.edu/graduation.
About the Skaggs Graduate School
Ranked among the top 10 doctoral programs of its kind in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, the Skaggs Graduate School of Chemical and Biological Sciences at Scripps Research offers rigorous training in chemistry, chemical biology, neuroscience, immunology, computational biology, and numerous other biomedical research disciplines. The program immerses students in intensive laboratory research while offering a customizable course curriculum
