Christopher S. Martens earned his Ph.D. in Chemical Oceanography from Florida State University in 1972, then moved to Yale to complete two years of postdoctoral study before joining the faculty at UNC in 1974. His current research focuses on how biological processes affect the chemistry of coastal and deep-sea environments, including the expanding role of sponges in coral reef ecosystems, the impacts of recently discovered natural gas seeps found off the North Carolina coast and the fate of the huge volume of hydrocarbons released to the deep sea during the Deepwater Horizon disaster. He publishes widely, has twice been co-recipient of the international Geochemical Society’s Best Paper award in Organic Geochemistry and received the Ketchum Award for Leadership in Coastal Oceanography from the famous Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He is an experienced SCUBA, hard helmet, saturation and submersible diver and an underwater videographer. He has received a “Favorite Faculty” award for recognized excellence in undergraduate teaching.