UCCS graduate moves from bombs to biology
When Ryan Martyn served in Iraq as a Navy explosive ordnance disposal technician, he made a promise that if he survived he would find his way to a profession helping people heal from injury.The 26-year-old Castle Rock resident will make an installment on that promise on Friday when he joins an estimated 450 University of Colorado at Colorado Springs graduates participating in commencement ceremonies at the World Arena.At the ceremonies, Martyn’s six-month-old son, Ryder, and wife, Michelle, will celebrate his Bachelor of Science in Biology and his acceptance to the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He begins medical school August.“As a Navy EOD technician, I was deployed to Baghdad, Iraq, to combat the growing IED threat,” Martyn recently explained. “Our convoy was hit multiple times weekly. I saw three members of my squad seriously injured and one die. That’s when I made a promise to try to help others.”Martyn’s unit replaced one that was the subject of the 2010 Academy Award winning film, “The Hurt Locker.” He says the movie accurately describes the harrowing situations of disarming Improvised Explosive Devices or IEDs with a substantial difference – real destruction and real danger. Martyn suffered eye damage and considers himself lucky after watching other soldiers lose limbs.After leaving the Navy, Martyn enrolled at Arapahoe Community College in Littleton. He transferred to UCCS where he received the Morgan Berthrong Scholarship. In one semeseter, he completed 29 credit hours, roughly double the amount of most full-time students.“All A’s with the exception of one class – physics – where I got an A minus,” Martyn said of his academic success.So, what kind of medicine does someone who used to defuse bombs hope to practice?“Emergency,” Martyn said. “I think I’ve got the nerves for it.”University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Commencement When: 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 17Where: World Arena, 3185 Venetucci BoulevardThe ceremony will feature comments by UCCS Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak, CU President Bruce Benson and Becky Medved, a local business entrepreneur and member of the UCCS class of 1987. The CU Board of Regents will award an honorary degree to Robert Berliner of Los Angeles in recognition of his assistance in protecting the intellectual property rights of CU faculty.
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