Associate Professor, Biology
Mark Martin conducts research in the general area of microbiology, including the relatively understudied area of molecular genetics and ecology of bacterial predators (such as Bdellovibrio and Ensifer), and how such organisms modify population structure within microbial communities. He also has interests in microbial evolution, unusual and “undomesticated” microbes, bacterial bioluminescence, microbial ecology, and microbial symbioses. Martin has contributed to the American Society for Microbiology-sponsored blog “Small Things Considered” and has also been interviewed on the ASM-sponsored podcast “This Week in Microbiology” several times. He has lectured and created photo stories on topics including the microbiology of water bottles, microbial art, and promoting microbial literacy. Martin’s contributions to mentoring and education have been recognized by the American Society of Microbiology’s Carski Award for outstanding teaching of microbiology to undergraduate students and for encouraging them to subsequent achievement in 2018, as well as being named an ASM Distinguished Lecturer in 2020-2022. His other interests include metagenomics, bioinformatics, the history of science, science policy, and science fiction. Martin teaches courses in the areas of Microbiology, introductory cell and molecular biology (the Unity of Life), Molecular Techniques, and a seminar course on Symbioses and Parasitism.