Research Interests:

• Organic geochemistry and environmental chemistry
• Application of new analytical methods to marine organic geochemistry
• Organic geochemistry of recent sediments
• Hydrocarbon seepage and associated fauna
• Molecular stable isotope geochemistry
  
  
  Active and Future Projects :
  Monitoring science and support operations in Antarctica.
  Stable isotopes as intrinsic tracers of contaminants.
  Reduced genetic variability in meiofauna as a response to stress.
  

Education:

• Ph.D. Oceanography, Texas A&M University, 1980
• B.S. Chemistry, Union College, 1974
  

Experience:

• Director, Sustainable Development, Team Leader, Sustainable Coastal Margins Program, Office of the Vice President for Research, 2004-present
• Professor, Department of Oceanography, Texas A&M University, 2002-present
• Director, Geochemical and Environmental Research Group (GERG), Texas A&M University 1998-2004
• Chief Chemist, Geochemical and Environmental Research Group (GERG), Texas A&M University, 1992-1998
• Senior Research Scientist, College of Geosciences and Maritime Studies, Texas A&M University, 1991-present
• Associate Research Scientist, Oceanography, Texas A&M University, 1984-present
• Senior Member, Geochemical and Environmental Research Group (GERG), Texas A&M University, 1981-present
• Assistant Research Scientist, Oceanography, Texas A&M University, 1981-1984
• Department of Energy Postdoctoral Fellow and Research Associate, University of Tulsa, 1980-1981
• Research Consultant, AMOCO Production Company, 1975

Recent Publications:

• Yanik, P.J., T.H. O'Donnell, S.A. Macko, Y. Qian, and M.C. Kennicutt II, "The isotopic compositions of selected crude oil PAHs during biodegradation", Organic Geochemistry, 34:291-304, 2003.
• Barakat, A.O., A.R. Mostafa, Y. Qian, and M.C. Kennicutt II, "Application of Petroleum Hydrocarbon Chemical Fingerprinting in Oil Spill Investigations-Gulf of Suez, Egypt", Spill Science & Technology Bulletin, 7(5-6):229-239, 2002.
• Barakat, A.O., Y. Qian, and M.C. Kennicutt II, "Compositional Changes of Aromatic Steroid Hydrocarbons in Naturally Weathered Oil Residues in the Egyptian Western Desert", Environmental Forensics, 3:219-225, 2002.
• Barakat, A.O., Y. Qian, M.-K. Kim, and M.C. Kennicutt, "Chemical characterization of naturally weathered oil residues in arid terrestrial environment in Al-Alamein, Egypt", Environmental International, 27:291-310, 2001.
• Sassen, R., S.T. Sweet, A.V. Milkov, D.A. DeFreitas, and M.C. Kennicutt II, "Thermogenic vent gas and gas hydrate in the Gulf of Mexico slope: Is gas hydrate decomposition significant?" Geology, 29:107-110, 2001.
• Sassen, R., S.T. Sweet, A.V. Milkov, D.A. DeFreitas, M.C. Kennicutt II, and H.H. Roberts, "Stability of Thermogenic gas hydrate in the Gulf of Mexico: Constraints on models of climate change", In: Natural Gas Hydrates: Occurrence, Distribution, and Detection. C. Paull and W.P. Dillon, eds, AGU Geophysical Monograph Series, V. 124, p. 131-143, 2001.
• Gladen, B.C., T.D. Zadorozhnaja, N. Chislovska, D.O. Hryhorczuk, M.C. Kennicutt II, and R.E. Little, "Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in placenta", Human & Experimental Toxicology 19:597-603, 2000.
• Carr, R.S., P.A. Montagna, J.M. Biedenbach, R. Kalke, M.C. Kennicutt, R. Hooten, and G. Cripe. "Impact of storm water outfalls on sediment quality in Corpus Christi Bay, Texas", Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 19:561-574, 2000.
• Powell, E.N., R.D. Barber, M.C. Kennicutt II, and S.E. Ford, "Influence of parasitism in controlling the health, reproduction and PAH body burden of petroleum seep mussels", Deep-Sea Research 46: 2053-2078, 1999.
• Willett, K.L., S.J. McDonald, M.A. Steinberg, K.B. Beatty, M.C. Kennicutt II, and S.A. Safe, "Biomarker sensitivity for PAH contamination in two marine fish species collected in Galveston Bay, Texas", Environ. Tox. and Chem. 16: 1427-1479, 1997.
• McDonald, S.J., K.L. Willett, S.H. Safe, K.B. Beatty, M. Steinberg, P. Mayor, and M.C. Kennicutt II, "Validation of bioassays for assessing the contamination of marine environments" Polycylic Aromatic Hydrocarbons 11: 57-65, 1996.
• Bence, A.E., K. Kvenvolden, and M.C. Kennicutt II, "Organic Geochemistry Applied to Environmental Assessments of Prince William Sound, Alaska, Following the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill. A Review" Org. Geochem. 24(1): 7-42, 1996.
• Qian, Y., M.C. Kennicutt II, J. Svalberg, S.A. Macko, R.R. Bidigare, and J. Walker, "Suspended particulate organic matter (SPOM) in Gulf of Mexico estuaries: compound-specific isotope analysis and plant pigment compositions". Organic Geochemistry 24: 875-888, 1996.
• Kennicutt, M.C. II, R. Green, P. Montagna, and P. Roscigno, "Gulf of Mexico Offshore Operations Monitoring Experiment (GOOMEX) Phase I: Sublethal Responses to Contaminant Exposure - Introduction and Overview" Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 53: 2540-2553, 1996.
• Kennicutt, M.C. II, P. Boothe, T. Wade, S. Sweet, R. Rezak, J. Brooks, B. Presley, and D. Wiesenburg, "Geochemical Patterns in Sediments Near Offshore Production Platforms", Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 53: 2554-2566, 1996.
• Peterson, C.H., M.C. Kennicutt II, R.H. Green, P. Montagna, E.N. Powell, and P. Roscigno, "Ecological Consequence of Environmental Perturbations Associated with Offshore Hydrocarbon Production: A Perspective from Study of Long-Term Exposures in the Gulf of Mexico", Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 53: 2637-2654, 1996.
• Champ, M.A., J.M. Brooks, V.V. Makeyev, T.L. Wade, M.C. Kennicutt II, and M. Baskaran, "Preliminary results of studies of industrial and nuclear contaminants in the Ob and Yenisey Rivers and the Kara Sea to assess the environmental and human health risks in the Russian Arctic". Ocean Pollution in the Arctic North and the Russian Far East: Proceedings from the Ocean Pollution Session of the Conference "Bridges of Science Between North America and the Russia Far East, Vladivostok, Russia, 1 September 1994, edited by E.J. Kirk, American Association for the Advancement of Science, pp. 28-65, 1995.
• McDonald, S.S., M.C. Kennicutt II, H. Lui, and S.H. Safe. "Assessing hydrocarbon exposure in Antarctic fish captured near Palmer and McMurdo Stations, Antarctica" Archives of Environ. Cont. and Toxicology, 29: 232-240, 1995.
• Bidigare, R.R., M.C. Kennicutt II, W. Keeney-Kennicutt and S.A. Macko. 1991. Isolation and Purification of Plant Pigments for the Determination of Stable Carbon and Nitrogen Isotope Ratios. Analytical Chemistry 63(2):130-133.
• Laws, E.M., B.N. Popp, R.R. Bidigare, M.C. Kennicutt II, and S.A. Macko. 1995. Dependence of phytoplankton carbon isotopic composition on growth rate and [CO2]aq: Theorectical considerations and experimental results. Geochemica Cosmochimca Acta 59:1131-1138.
• Qian, Y., M.C. Kennicutt II, J. Svalberg, S.A. Macko, R.R. Bidigare, and J. Walker. 1996. Suspended particulate organic matter (SPOM) in Gulf of Mexico estuaries: compound-specific isotope analysis and plant pigment compositions. Organic Geochemistry 24:875-888, 1996.
• Brooks, J.M., M.C. Kennicutt II, R.R. Fay, T.J. McDonald, and R.Sassen. 1984. Organic gas hydrates in the Gulf of Mexico. Science 225:409-411.
• Kennicutt M.C. II, J.M. Brooks, R.R. Bidigare, T.L. Wade, and R.R. Fay. 1985. Vent type taxa in a hydrocarbon seep region on the Louisiana slope. Nature 317(6035):351-353.
• Childress, J.M., C.R. Fisher, J.M. Brooks, M.C. Kennicutt II, R. Bidigare, and A.E. Anderson. 1986. A methanotrophic marine molluscan (Bivalvia, Mytilidae) symbiosis: Mussels fueled by gas. Science
  233:1306-1308.
• Brooks, J.M., M.C. Kennicutt II, C.R. Fisher, S.A. Macko, K. Cole, J.J. Childress, R.R. Bidigare, R.D. Vetter. 1987. Deep sea hydrocarbon seep communities: Evidence for energy and nutritional carbon sources. Science, 238:1138-1142.
  Fisher, C.R., M.C. Kennicutt II and J.M. Brooks. 1990. Stable carbon isotopic evidence for carbon limitation in hydrothermal vent vestimentiferans. Science 247:1094-1096.
• Childress, J.J., R. Lee, N.K. Sanders, H. Felbeck, D.R. Oros, A. Toulmond, D. Desbrayeres, M.C. Kennicutt II, and J. M. Brooks. 1993. High Environmental PCO2 Facilitates Carbon Uptake in Hydrothermal Vent Tubeworms. Nature 362:147-149