Badger beginnings to biomedical breakthroughs with John Martens

John Martens (BSChE ’68) built a career that spans polymer chemistry, defense, materials science, consulting, and now biochemistry and biomedicine—but it all started at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. As a chemical engineering and chemistry double major, Martens credits a formative conversation with Professor Robert “Bob” Byron Bird and the university’s collaborative environment for shaping his path. More than five decades later, his work continues to impact lives through a new venture developing treatments for blinding eye diseases.

A campus start and a defining conversation

When John Martens arrived on the UW-Madison campus in the fall of 1963 to study chemical engineering, he was eager to dive into both academics and campus life. Living in Sullivan Hall and rooming with a high school friend studying electrical engineering, Martens quickly found a balance between rigorous coursework and vibrant student traditions. One of his favorite weekend rituals was heading to Camp Randall Stadium to cheer on the Badgers—a passion that became a highlight of his time on campus. But it was a conversation during his sophomore year that would prove pivotal.

“Transport Phenomena with Professor Bird was one of the first serious engineering courses I took,” Martens recalls. At the time, Bird’s now-legendary textbook was still in progress, and the class included a mix of undergraduates and graduate students. Grappling with his passion for both chemistry and engineering, Martens sought Bird’s advice directly. “I asked him, ‘What is the greatest weakness of chemical engineers?’” Martens remembers. “He stuck his forehead with the back of his hand and said, ‘They don’t know enough chemistry.’ That was all I needed to hear.”

The same day, Martens walked to the Department of Chemistry and enrolled in a double major. That important decision, he says, laid the groundwork for everything that followed—from early research work to corporate consulting to launching his own biomedical company decades later. He encourages current students to explore the same kind of academic self-awareness.

“Start by knowing yourself—your aptitudes, your interests, and what truly excites you,” he says. “The sooner you can align your education with your strengths, the more rewarding your career will be.” He emphasizes goal making as part of this as well, making sure to set “stretch goals” with ambitious targets that push you outside your comfort zone and declaring your goals—out loud and in writing. “Tell your friends, your family. Writing them down gives your goals momentum.”

Innovation and impact at 3M

After graduating with degrees in both chemical engineering and chemistry, Martens began a remarkable 35-year career at 3M‘s Central Research laboratories, a hotbed of cutting-edge innovation and multidisciplinary collaboration. His first project was a top-secret DARPA contract to develop high-temperature carbon fiber composites for use in F-16 fighter jets—the first supersonic aircraft in the U.S. fleet.

“I was responsible for refining the chemistry and creating the manufacturing process,” he explains. “We used cyanogen chloride—a highly toxic gas—as a key reagent, so I had to develop a safe, continuous process that could be run remotely using Continuous Stirred Tank Reactors (CSTRs).” Martens designed a fully remote-controlled, bunker-based system capable of producing 50 pounds of resin per hour. “I ran it in 24-hour shifts to meet the government’s demand,” he says. “Worker safety was the number one priority.”

Alongside the DARPA project, Martens worked on developing an analog computer model for a proposed continuous process to produce polyester resin from terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol. In about a month, he created a program to simulate the reactions to produce consistent high-quality resin needed for film manufacture. His proposed model linked CSTRs and optimized the kinetics of the esterification reactions at high temperatures so finished PET resin could be fed directly to the film making line for large-volume manufacturing. The model supported a $20 million plant expansion and was successfully used to design, build and operate a full-scale production line in Decatur, Alabama, significantly boosting output and quality.

This early success earned him a reputation for tackling high-stakes challenges. By 1987, he was elected to the Carlton Society—3M’s Hall of Fame for Innovation—and by 1990, he had achieved the title of Corporate Scientist, the company’s highest technical rank. His work at 3M resulted in 19 U.S. patents and products that generated over $3 billion in annual sales. Among his most impactful contributions was the invention of Brightness Enhancement Films for electronic displays in collaboration with Roger Apledom, 3M Corporate Scientist and the inventor of the overhead projector. This innovation led to the creation of 3M’s Optical Systems Division and was featured in Bruce Berman’s From Assets to Profits as one of the most valuable intellectual property assets in 3M’s history.

But Martens says his success wasn’t just about ideas—a major lesson Martens took from his time at 3M was the power of teamwork. He advises aspiring engineers to develop not just technical depth, but interpersonal skill and collaborative instincts. “3M was masterful at building high-performance, multidisciplinary teams. We worked with corporate engineers, lab techs, manufacturing experts, and marketing specialists to scale products from benchtop to global markets,” he says. “Success was never a solo effort.”

He also emphasizes the value of lifelong learning. “Technology evolves quickly. My education gave me a strong base, but to stay relevant, I had to keep learning—constantly. Whether you’re in a lab, a startup, or a multinational corporation, the people who thrive are the ones who stay curious, keep improving, and try to learn something new each day.”

Solving industry problems as a consultant/Engineering solutions with high stakes

After retiring from 3M in 2003, Martens founded Thimble Peak Consulting, where he helped companies solve technical challenges that threatened their viability.

“One of my clients had spent over $5 million on a manufacturing process that didn’t work,” he says. “They were on the brink of bankruptcy.” Martens reconfigured their process and materials, ultimately saving the company and netted 11 patents owned by his client with himself as co-inventor. The company has continued to thrive and grow since then.

In another case, he worked with an aerospace company that developed and supplied Boeing with helicopter composite fuel tanks. During development, they discovered that their materials failed to meet strength and fuel resistance standards for Chinook and Blackhawk helicopters. “We had to go back to the drawing board—develop new materials and reengineer the entire manufacturing process,” he says. “And we did it.”

His consulting work reinforced a lesson he had learned years earlier: success demands both technical depth and the ability to communicate clearly across disciplines. “As a consultant, you’re brought in to fix problems no one else can. That requires trust, precision, and a willingness to collaborate under pressure.”

Building a biomedical venture with purpose

Martens’ most personal and profound work began in 2009 when he co-founded Snyder Biomedical with Dr. Robert Snyder, a fellow UW alum and physician-scientist. The mission: to develop treatments for blinding eye diseases like glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

For Martens, this work hit close to home. “My mother lost vision in one eye to glaucoma, and my mother-in-law lost all vision to AMD,” he says. “That became my inspiration.”

Instead of licensing technology to a large pharmaceutical company, Martens and Snyder chose to translate academic research directly into clinical application. Working with the University of Arizona’s College of Medicine, they developed MaculaPM, a patented oral capsule designed to slow the progression of AMD. The formulation has already demonstrated success in clinical studies published in the American Journal of Medicine. The product is set to launch in July 2025.

Uniquely, the pair self-funded the project, with help from friends and family. “It allowed us to stay focused on the science and the patients—not profit margins,” he says. “We’re trying to help people keep their sight. That’s a goal worth every bit of work.” He hopes young engineers will consider aligning their careers with personal passion. “Find a mission that matters to you,” he advises. “It’ll fuel you in ways a paycheck never could.”

As he approaches 80, he’s not quite done yet. “The only thing I wish,” he says with a smile, “is that I knew how to live to 100 or longer. I’ve still got goals I want to accomplish.” From cheering on the Badgers at Camp Randall to leading pioneering work in biomedicine, John Martens’ journey stands as a testament to what’s possible when passion meets purpose. His time at UW–Madison didn’t just shape a career—it launched a lifelong mission to innovate, serve, and improve the lives of others.

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