MTS FELLOW

Designation as a Marine Technology Society Fellow is one of the highest accolades a member can achieve. Since 1975, this title has been awarded to MTS Members who have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of the Society's objectives and who has distinguished accomplishments and experience in their professional fields. 

2026 RECIPIENT - Chris Scholin

Chris Scholin began his professional career at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) in 1992 after completing a Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology-Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program, a master’s degree in Molecular Biology and Immunology from Duke University, and a bachelor’s degree in Biology from University of California, Santa Barbara. He served as the President and CEO of MBARI from 2009-2025 and currently works as a Senior Scientist. His research program focuses on the development of deployable sensors for detecting water-borne microorganisms and environmental DNA (eDNA) using molecular probe technology (see ESP). In 2021, Chris was awarded the Lockheed Martin Award for Ocean Science and Engineering from the Marine Technology Society (MTS). His current interests center on the use of small fleets of uncrewed systems equipped with a variety of sensing and sampling payloads to observe dynamic ocean ecosystem processes. Chris also serves as co-chair of the MTS eDNA Committee.  

OTHER MTS FELLOWS

• 2025: Aleks Karlsen
• 2025: Justin Manley
• 2025: Steve A. Ruberg
• 2024: Dr. Oscar Schofield
• 2024: Dr. Jyotika Virmani
• 2024: Steve Hall
• 2023: S. Craig Cumbee
• 2023: Barbara Fletcher
• 2023: Dr. Anthony Knap
• 2022: Donna Kocak
• 2022: Donald Peters
• 2022: Dr. Fritz Stahr
• 2021: Dick Crout
• 2020: Dr. Steve DiMarco
• 2020: Laurie Jugan
• 2020: Christian Meinig
• 2020: CAPT (Ret.) Rick Williams
• 2020: Jill Zande
• 2019: Josh Kohut
• 2019: John Potter
• 2019: Ralph Rayner
• 2019: Ramasamy Venkatesan
• 2018: Liesl Hotaling
• 2017: CAPT Zdenka Willis, USN (Ret.)
• 2017: Dr. Steven Cargill Ph.D
• 2017: Dr. Scott Glenn, Sc.D
• 2016: Dr. Thomas Curtin
• 2014: Karen Kohanowich
• 2014: Will Kohnen
• 2013: Suman Muddusetti
• 2013: Lisa Medeiros
• 2012: Charles Royce
• 2011: Dr. Benton F. Baugh, Ph.D
• 2011: Peter Fougere
• 2011: Brock Rosenthal
• 2010: Julius Rockwell, Capt. (Ret.)
• 2010: Diann Karin Lynn, Capt. (Ret.)
• 2009: John Bomba
• 2009: Calvin A. Gongwer
• 2009: Sandeep Khurana
• 2009: Craig N. McLean, Capt. (Ret.)
• 2008: Ted Brockett
• 2008: Dietmar R. Deter
• 2008: Sandor A. Karpathy
• 2008: Daniel S. Schwartz
• 2008: Mark S. Olsson
• 2008: Richard W. Spinrad
• 2007: Landry J. Bernard, III
• 2007: Herbert T. Ripley
• 2007: Daniel G. White
• 2006: William Friedl
• 2005: Amos Bussmann
• 2005: John Schiltz
• 2004: William Venezia
• 2003: Jerry Boatman
• 2003: William Phoel
• 2003: Terry Thompson
• 2002: Andrew Clark
• 2002: Patrick Fell
• 2001: Thomas Coughlin
• 2001: Lorenz Magaard
• 2001: Hiroyuki Nakahara
• 2001: Toshitsugu Sakou
• 2001: Catherine Woody
• 2000: Richard Bloomquist
• 2000: Jerry C. Carroll
• 1999: Norman B. Estabrook
• 1999: Will Forman
• 1999: Bruce Gilman
• 1999: Frank W. Hughes
• 1999: George A. Maul
• 1999: Robert E. Randall
• 1997: Martin J. Finerty, Jr.
• 1997: Drew Michel
• 1997: John C. Wiltshire
• 1997: Robert S. Winokur
• 1996: Joseph B. Hughes
• 1996: Craig D. MacDonald
• 1996: Charles A. Richards
• 1996: Douglas Stoud
• 1995: Sam T. Kelly
• 1995: Howard L. Shatto, Jr.
• 1994: T. Philip Gibson
• 1994: Charles A. Richards, Jr. 
• 1993: J. Brad Mooney
• 1992: Charles A. Bookman
• 1992: Robert E. Haring
• 1992: Nelson Ross
• 1991: Kevin Hardy
• 1991: Robert C. Spindel
• 1990: William I. Milwee
• 1990: Eugene M. Russin
• 1990: Robert L. Swan
• 1989: Ronald L. Geer
• 1987: Michael A. Champ
• 1987: Wayne B. Ingram
• 1987: Colin M. Jones
• 1987: Muneendra Kumar
• 1986: Edward Clausner
• 1986: Michael McCormick
• 1986: Clifford McLain
• 1986: Kenji Okamura 
• 1985: Michael J. Cruickshank
• 1985: Ferial El-Hawary
• 1985: Fred N. Spiess
• 1984: Howard Talkington
• 1984: Robert Wernli
• 1983: Jack Jaeger
• 1983: Ned A. Ostenso
• 1983: William O. Rainnie, Jr. 
• 1982: Jack Harmon
• 1982: Maxwell S. McKnight
• 1982: John Norton Moore
• 1982: Morris A. Ransone
• 1982: James Wenzel
• 1981: Steven N. Anastasion
• 1981: Charles B. Bishop
• 1981: Frank Busby
• 1981: Donald Keach
• 1981: Harley Nygren
• 1981: Andreas Rechnitzer
• 1981: Joseph Vadus
• 1980: Robert B. Abel
• 1980: John C. Calhoun, Jr. 
• 1980: John P. Craven
• 1980: Phillip Eisenberg
• 1980: Paul M. Fye
• 1980: Gilbert L. Maton
• 1980: James Wakelin
• 1980: Don Walsh
• 1980: Elmer P. Wheaton
• 1977: Martin Klein
• 1976: Norman Cima
• 1976: Eugene C. LaFond
• 1976: Kenneth, V. MacKenzie
• 1976: Stewart B. Nelson
• 1976: John A. Pritzlaff
• 1976: Charles Stephan
• 1975: Charles H. Bussmann
• 1975: John H. Clotworthy
• 1975: Robert P. Dinsmore
• 1975: John E. Flipse
• 1975: Mary Alice McWhinnie
• 1975: George V. Schaefer
• 1975: Richard M. Shamp
• 1975: Allyn C. Vine
• 1975: Odale D. Waters