As a subject matter expert in the field of the relationship of chemistry and planetary geology, (or in simple terms, the coherency between earth and other planets) Mark Shortt is a passionate problem solver, and on a quest to understand and explain how things work. This quest led him to avionics in the military, and post-military, to pursue a career in environmental science which led him to Michigan State University (MSU). Mark devoted his time at MSU to researching and presenting keynote lectures to hundreds of colleagues in his field. Most notable was his presentation on the geoneutrino flux during “Astronomy on Tap”, a University event hosted at a local pub-house.

Growing up in a fundamentalist religion and serving as a man of the cloth where questions were not allowed, Mark pushed back against the fabric that tried to cover his eyes as inconsistencies in the teachings jumped out at him. After 30 years, this journey ultimately led him out from under the veil of religion. Mark threw himself into a life of unique experiences such as helicopter search and rescue in the US Coast Guard, spending weeks in Asia doing humanitarian work (ground-water remediation) following earthquakes, and made it his mission to raise money to build wells for clean water in third-world countries. Ultimately he landed in the world of science, and has since found balance between the mystical and the logical.

As host and creator of the popular podcast “Mark Explains [the universe]”, which touts a hefty 5,000 regular listeners, Mark Shortt is no stranger to asking and pondering difficult-to-answer questions for an audience. Asking tough questions, and helping others has been a lifelong passion of Mark’s as a devoted problem solver. However, since the sudden passing of his mother in early 2021, his research has shifted and he is now focusing on a much bigger concept of reality.