Dr. Marty Brunson holds a B.S. in Biology from Mississippi College (1978), and M.S. (1980) and Ph.D. (1983) degrees from Mississippi State University (MSU).

After five years on the research faculty at Louisiana State University, he joined the Mississippi State University faculty in 1988 as Associate Professor and Associate Fisheries Specialist in the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. He served as Extension Leader and Professor of Fisheries from 1992 until 2005. As the Extension Leader in the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries he provided statewide leadership for Extension programming in wildlife and fisheries.

In April, 2005, he left the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to assume full-time duties for leadership and direction of the Catch-A-Dream program at MSU. At the same time, the program was re-assigned to reside in the Office of the Associate Director, MSU-Extension Service.

Marty has held office in numerous professional societies and service organizations. He has authored or co-authored over 80 technical and scientific publications and over 100 extension publications. He is a Past-President of the Mississippi Wildlife Federation and holds a lifetime appointment to its Board of Directors. He is a Past-President of the Starkville Baseball Association, and has coached youth baseball, basketball and football, and has served on the Board of Directors for the Oktibbeha Educational Foundation, which oversees the activities of Starkville Academy in Starkville, MS.

He has received numerous professional awards including the Outstanding Extension Specialist Award, MS Cooperative Extension Service; the Distinguished Service Award, Mississippi State University Alumni Association; the Outstanding Extension Worker, MSU Extension Service; Fisheries Conservationist of the Year Award from Mississippi Wildlife Federation; Distinguished Service Award from the Catfish Farmers of Mississippi; and, in 2005, became only the fourth individual in its 58-year history to be presented the President's Award for lifetime achievement by the Mississippi Wildlife Federation. He was recently named to Outdoor Life Magazine’s “OL 25” list of 25 people who have changed the face of hunting and fishing.

A native of Mobile, AL, Marty has been married to his wife, Janice, since 1979. They have two sons....Taylor, a student at East Mississippi Community College, and Spencer, a freshman baseball player at Delta State University. They own and operate a 315 acre tree farm in Webster County, MS, where they spend much of their spare time. Marty and the boys are avid hunters, and Janice joins them as they pursue their other outdoor passion...fishing. They are active members of Calvary Baptist Church in Starkville, where Marty teaches a couples Sunday School class and has chaired the Deacon Committee and numerous others.