Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Leadership Experience
Timeline
Generic

Benjamin Mitchell

Lebanon,PA

Summary

Biology and geology researcher with extensive laboratory and field experience, skilled in mass spectrometry and data analysis. Proven ability to contribute to research through microfossil assemblage analysis and ex-situ spore cultivation. Adept at delivering impactful presentations and fostering collaborations in academic and community settings, aligning with the mission of the American Museum of Natural History.

Overview

3
3
years of professional experience

Work History

Colgate Benton Scholars

Hamilton
Hamilton, USA
09.2023 - Current
  • Recipient and member of an academic honors program, including extra courses and grant funding for personal research.
  • Presented an in-depth 60-minute lecture 'Modern Paleontology' to students, faculty, and community members, discussing field and museum practices.

Soil Laboratory Intern

Penn State University
State College, USA
07.2025 - 08.2025
  • Performed ICP-OES analysis to quantify elemental composition of soil and water samples.
  • Acquired in-situ water quality data across Chesapeake Bay watershed field sites to support environmental assessments.
  • Collected and processed soil cores for geochemical and environmental analysis, informing research on soil health and ecosystem management.

Field Geology Teacher's Assistant

Colgate University Geology Department
Hamilton, USA
09.2023 - 12.2024
  • Facilitated comprehension of course material by assisting with field journals and addressing individual questions.
  • Ensured safe transportation to field sites across Central NY using university-owned vehicles.

Summer Intern

Lebanon County Conservation District
Lebanon, USA
05.2024 - 08.2024
  • Surveyed Beck Creek and Bachman Run, tributaries of Quittapahilla Creek, to assess environmental health.
  • Recorded stream morphology, bank erosion, streambed erosion, macroinvertebrate communities, and other factors.
  • Compiled a report detailing tributary conditions and identified areas for improvement, presenting findings to the Conservation District Board.

Invertebrate Paleontology Laboratory Research Assistant

Colgate University Geology Department
Hamilton, USA
09.2023 - 05.2024
  • Analyzed Gulf of Mexico microfossil assemblages to investigate climate-driven habitat change.
  • Generated datasets that informed thesis research on anthropogenic impacts on ecosystems.

Field Research Assistant

Burpee Museum of Natural History
Rockford, USA
08.2023
  • Excavated field specimens of late-Cretaceous theropods and ceratopsians, documenting samples for later analysis.
  • Studied microsites and assisted in classifying newly collected microfossils for storage in a federal repository.

Education

Bachelor of Arts - Biology, Geology

Colgate University
Hamilton, NY
05-2026

Spring Semester Study Abroad Program - Wollongong, NSW, Australia

University of Wollongong
Wollongong, NSW, Australia
06-2025

Skills

  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Python in Data Science
  • Fluorescence Microscopy
  • IBM SPSS
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Adobe Illustrator
  • Data Analysis
  • Statistical Analysis
  • X-ray Diffractometry
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Adobe InDesign
  • PowerPoint
  • Leadership Experience

    • President, Colgate University Choir and Chamber Singers, Hamilton, NY, 2024, 2024, Led post-COVID reconstruction of university choir, increasing membership through targeted recruitment and outreach, Organized two national tours, coordinating logistics for travel, lodging, and group scheduling
    • Pennsylvania Dutch Council, Scouts BSA, Lebanon, PA, 2015, 2024, Revamped the Union Canal Tunnel Park in Lebanon, PA by leading 20 volunteers to redesign the park's trail system, creating an accurate map using Photoshop and satellite imagery, and designing/building/installing 13 trail markers, Eagle Scout (2021); Order of the Arrow National Brotherhood member
    • French Horn Player, Perseverance Band of Lebanon, Lebanon, PA, Summers 2021, 2024, Musician in a 40-member professional ensemble that provides local concerts at parks, senior homes, and numerous other venues to entertain and educate community members

    Timeline

    Soil Laboratory Intern

    Penn State University
    07.2025 - 08.2025

    Summer Intern

    Lebanon County Conservation District
    05.2024 - 08.2024

    Colgate Benton Scholars

    Hamilton
    09.2023 - Current

    Field Geology Teacher's Assistant

    Colgate University Geology Department
    09.2023 - 12.2024

    Invertebrate Paleontology Laboratory Research Assistant

    Colgate University Geology Department
    09.2023 - 05.2024

    Field Research Assistant

    Burpee Museum of Natural History
    08.2023

    Bachelor of Arts - Biology, Geology

    Colgate University

    Spring Semester Study Abroad Program - Wollongong, NSW, Australia

    University of Wollongong
    Benjamin Mitchell