Ben was born and raised in upstate New York. They earned a B.S in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at the University of Rochester. From there they moved to Albuquerque for a PhD program in plant biology and began working with a local non-profit, Common Bond New Mexico Foundation. Their work with CBNMF and interests in how the world works brought him to the UNM Evaluation Lab. Their goal is to work in STEM education policy reform, with an emphasis on engaging research as a teaching tool throughout a student’s educational journey.