Dr. Brian Clark to Lead Fall Commencement at Ohio University
Ohio University Distinguished Professor Dr. Brian Clark will deliver the keynote address at the Fall 2026 Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 12. The ceremony begins at 2 p.m. in the Convocation Center on the Athens Campus.
President Lori Stewart Gonzalez pointed to Clark’s longstanding impact on OHIO and the fields of health, aging and medicine when announcing the speaker selection. “We are delighted to welcome Dr. Brian Clark as our Fall 2026 Commencement speaker,” Gonzalez said, noting his dual impact as a researcher and mentor.
Decades of Research into Aging and Mobility
Over the past two decades at Ohio University, Clark has established a research enterprise recognized across the nation and the world that investigates the root causes of declining muscle strength, mobility, and skeletal resilience resulting from aging, illness, injury, or disability. Through his academic contributions, he has pushed forward our knowledge of sarcopenia—the age-related loss of muscle strength and function—by proving that researchers must look past mere muscle mass and factor in motor control, muscle quality, and neural function.
Clark serves as a Distinguished Professor of Physiology and Neuroscience in OHIO’s Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, executive director of the Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute (OMNI), and holds the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation Harold E. Clybourne, D.O., Endowed Research Chair. His work also extends to bone strength assessment through Cortical Bone Mechanics Technology (CBMT) and the co-founding of OsteoDx.
In May 2026, the university named Clark as the recipient of its Distinguished Professor Award, the institution’s highest permanent faculty honor. His academic record spans more than 225 published articles and chapters, over 20,000 citations, and more than $53 million in grants and contracts.
Reflecting on the Milestone
“It is a tremendous honor to address Ohio University’s graduates, and a responsibility I take seriously,” Clark said of the upcoming address. “I still remember the commencement addresses at each of my own graduations.”
Before earning his Doctor of Philosophy degree in neuromuscular physiology, a certificate of advanced study in gerontology, and a master’s degree in exercise physiology from Syracuse University, Clark received his undergraduate degree in biology from Western Carolina University.
Additional details are available through the Commencement website.
