Benson joined the Centre for Industrial Photonics as a PhD student in 2022. He is currently undertaking research on Ultra-fast Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) of thin films for applications in airbreathing space propulsion unit for European Space Agency (ESA) and multiple companies worldwide under the supervision of Prof Bill O’Neill and Dr Georgios Kokkinos.

Prior to studying his PhD at the IfM, Benson was an MRes student at the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy at the University of Cambridge. There, he focused on developing non-toxic thin-film solar cell materials, such as CIGS, to convert abundant sunlight into electric power. He holds an MSc (with distinction) in Nanotechnology from University College London (UCL) and a MRes in Connected Electronic and Photonic Systems from University of Cambridge. He is a member of the Darwin College, University of Cambridge.

Benson is a third-generation Hong Kongese Christian and he is serving the Lord as a committee member at the Joshua Fellowship of Cambridge Chinese Christian Church, where he has led Bible studies since 2021. He also regularly takes part in the So-Blessed Fellowship of CCiL SOC, London, where he has served as chef/caterer since 2019. His favourite Bible scripture is Micah 6:8.