Benji Peng

A detail oriented, self-driven, and profoundly resourceful PhD in analytical/physical chemistry who offers exceptional quantitative programmatic analysis, communication, and management skills. A perpetual learner who is adaptive to vastly collaborative research and development environment with greatly diverse individuals

I started my career at the beginning of 2013 as a part-time undergraduate lab assistant in University of Minnesota (Department of Horticulture). I worked closely with the primary investigator to designed and standardized an extremely accurate methodology to predict chromatographic retention times with judiciously chosen calibration compounds. I soon lead a Gas Chromatography (GC) Retention Prediction research project with molecular thermodynamics modeling and organized the collaboration with researchers from the department of chemistry and horticultural science to implement a well-documented and continuously improving workflow. I also Devised algorithms to streamline and automate processes in data acquisition and processing. Customized advanced liquid handling robotics system for rapid sample preparation on a large scale. Meanwhile, I was a mentor for Project SEED (Summer Experiences for the Economically Disadvantaged) students. I supervised technical and safety trainings for students and nurtured their self-sufficiency. By the time I left there and joined Georgia Institute of Technology for my PhD, I was a full-time researcher in analytical chemistry, and our team had implemented an GC/HPLC Retention Time Predictor app in an open-sourced user-friendly Java interface.

At Georgia Institute of Technology, I was a Graduate Assistant in Department of Chemistry. I used my expertise in automation/modeling/simulation to coordinate several collaborative research projects with other biophysics. I served as a Research Laboratory Safety Representative for my research group. I Counseled lab members to facilitate the completion of their work in a safe and compliant manner based on deep understandings of procedures and equipment in the research laboratory. I mentored new staff members, organized their orientations and technical trainings, brought remarkable insights into vital experimental techniques, and maintained and actively tracked their safety records. By coordinating with the Environmental Safety Department and planning cross-organizational processes, I orchestrated our best practices. As a Head Teaching Assistant / Instructor, I demonstrated a proven track record for dedicated teaching, efficient communication, and equitable grading across multiple subjects and fields of study. I revamped a Python machine learning class as an instructor, during which I formulated tailored learning experiences for individuals. I have also been a proud maintainer of the research group website (ReactJS / Jekyll).

I received my PhD in Analytical / Physical Chemistry (GPA 3.85/4.00) from Georgia Institute of Technology by the end of 2021. My PhD thesis focused on devising improvements to address major challenges in fluorescence microscopy. I Coordinated a highly collaborative project in a fast-paced physical / analytical research laboratory where a lot of research problems are tackled programmatically by utilizing mathematical analysis as well as in-house software written in Python, Mathematica, Matlab, and C. By adopting qualitative and quantitative analytical approaches in protein engineering, mathematical modeling, statistical analysis, and digital signal processing, I developed innovative background-free fluorescence microscopy methodologies that can vastly benefit cancer research.

I received my BA in chemistry (graduated with distinction, GPA 3.88/4.00) from University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. As a pre-health student during my undergrad, I have built a solid foundation in life sciences. I took classes like cellular biology, pharmacology, and U.S. healthcare systems.