Dr. Mark is an Associate Professor in the Maritime Studies Program at Texas A&M University in Galveston. He received his Ph.D. from Texas A&M University in College Station in 2000, and joined the faculty of Texas A&M University at Galveston in 2001. His research includes ancient seafaring and paleopathology. His books include From Egypt to Mesopotamia, in which he proposes possible trade routes, connecting Egypt to Mesopotamia before the pharaohs; and Homeric Seafaring, in which he interprets the seafaring culture described in the Iliad and the Odyssey based on ancient documents, archaeological discoveries, ancient iconography, and ethnographies. At present he is studying ancient Mediterranean ships built primarily for carrying bulk cargoes of marble. He also conduct active research in the field of paleopathology, with recent publications in the Journal of the History of Medicine and the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology.