December 20, 2016
MPA recently caught up with alumnus Ben Lunstad, Class of 1988. Ben’s story is a divergent one, and he credits MPA for inspiring him to follow dual passions—music and science. He is currently a biochemist in the research and development group of Agilent (a biotech spin off of Hewlett-Packard), where his research involves the chemical synthesis of long RNA for CRISPR gene editing. This work is necessary for the evolving field of gene therapy.
Ben fondly remembers MPA teacher Dr. Camille Wainwright, who helped fuel his interest in being a scientist. Ben’s alter ego was also inspired at MPA, particularly by teachers Barbara Bradley and Marlys Fiterman, who helped him develop a love of performing. As a balance to the seriousness of science, he started three a capella groups (one in college, one in grad school and a professional ensemble, Face, which competed in NBC’s “Sing-Off”). This experience gave Ben an insider’s glimpse into the worlds of vocal band management, music arranging, touring and reality TV! In 2015 alone, he and the group performed 120 shows, including a European tour. In January 2016, Ben left Face to take a well-deserved break and focus solely on his scientific career.
He currently lives outside Boulder, Colorado with his wife, their two children, and a dog. Ben looks forward to finally getting out on the slopes this year, and he has graciously offered to talk about science or the music industry with interested MPA students or alumni. Email us and we’d love to connect you to him!
