Mark M. Thornton was born on August 26, 1952, in Great Falls, Montana, United States, to Matthew Thornton and Caroline Luella Bolmeier Thornton. His professional life developed in the United States during a period of rapid growth in aerospace engineering, combustion science, and instrumentation.
Thornton studied chemistry at the University of Washington, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in 1973 and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1989. The University of Washington is a major public research university in Seattle whose scientific programs support research across chemistry, engineering, and related physical sciences.
Thornton worked with the Combustion Diagnostics Laboratory at the University of Washington in Seattle from 1979 to 1985. His documented work included the development of a jet-stirred reactor for laboratory-scale combustion experiments, an instrument used to study combustion processes under controlled conditions.
In 1985, Thornton became a principal engineer with the Boeing Company in Seattle. His documented aerospace-related work included applications of mass spectrometry, an analytical technique used to identify and measure chemical species, to aerospace engineering.
Thornton's documented memberships include the American College of Surgeons and the Alfa Romeo Owner's Club. He also served as a director of a Parent-Teachers Association in Seattle during 1996 and 1997.
Thornton married Mary Elizabeth Ragsdale on February 29, 1980. They have two children, Vera and Adele. His parents were Matthew Thornton and Caroline Luella Bolmeier Thornton.
