Ben Owen

Ben Owen is the Director of the Integrated Molecular Structure Education and Research Center (IMSERC) and a Research Professor at Northwestern University's Department of Chemistry. He oversees IMSERC's technical operations, strategic direction, and educational initiatives, managing six core facilities including Mass Spectrometry, NMR Spectroscopy, and Laser/Electronics Design. Previously, he held roles at Agilent Technologies as a Mass Spectrometry Product Specialist and Field Applications Scientist, specializing in clinical research, metabolomics, and product impurity analysis. Owen earned his PhD in Analytical Chemistry from Purdue University (2012), focusing on mass spectrometry for biofuel production. His expertise spans instrumentation development, sample analysis, and training in advanced analytical techniques. IMSERC, under his leadership, serves as a centralized resource for molecular structure characterization at Northwestern.

Education:

• PhD in Analytical Chemistry, Purdue University (2012)
• BS in Chemistry, University of Illinois at Springfield (2008)

Research Interests: Owen's work emphasizes mass spectrometry innovation, metabolomics, and analytical instrumentation for applications in bioenergy, clinical research, and material science. His contributions include developing novel methods for lignin analysis and advancing laser-based desorption techniques. IMSERC's interdisciplinary environment enables collaborative projects across Northwestern's research community.

Advising & Grants: While no specific advisees or grants are listed, his role as a Research Professor and Director of IMSERC likely involves mentoring students and researchers through facility access and training programs. IMSERC's operational funding supports its role as a university-wide core facility.

Labs/Teams: Owen leads IMSERC, a two-floor facility housing advanced instrumentation cores and staff dedicated to analytical chemistry, structural biology, and materials characterization. His team collaborates with academic and industrial partners to advance analytical methodologies.