Mark Hulsbeck
Marine Specialist, NURC
UNCW Center for Marine Science
515 Caribbean Drive
Key Largo, Florida 33037
otter@terranova.net

Mark was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, but moved to Florida at the age of 5. He was raised in Venice and Orlando, Florida. His fascination with the ocean began in Venice, where he learned to swim and collected fossil shark teeth.

Mark served for five years in the Navy as a helicopter rescue aircrewman. After his enlistment, he attended the University of South Florida and graduated with a degree in geology. He has completed the course work towards a Masters Degree in Coastal Zone Management from Nova Southeastern University.

After graduation from college, Mark was commissioned as a NOAA Corps officer. He served on a number of oceanographic research vessels and marine labs. His duties included Navigation Officer On the NOAA Ship MALCOLM BALDRIGE during her circumnavigation of the globe. He also served as Operations and Diving Officer.

Mark is a PADI and IANTD dive instructor, as well as a Divers Alert Network instructor and Dive Medical Technician.

Mark has completed two staff missions in The Aquarius. He was scheduled for a science mission last year, but the project was canceled due to an approaching hurricane. He is very much looking forward to successfully completing the August mission.