Ben Collins is a composer, programmer and media artist from southeast Michigan. He received a degree in Performing Arts Technology from the University of Michigan’s School of Music, a unique program casting a wide net that covers everything from film to audio engineering. In the decade since graduation, he’s made the most of that degree: he was Senior Digital Developer at the University of Michigan's College of Engineering before leaving to start his own mobile app company, Auralab, focusing on algorithmic audio and biofeedback. At the same time, his compositions have found their way into film and television, having been licensed by Lincoln, Cadillac, Ford, Herman Miller and many others. He can often be found on tour with different bands as front of house sound engineer or lighting designer, as well as touring with his own band. As a media and technology generalist, his work and accolades can seem odd or eccentric: for example, in 2014, he led a team at a CERN hackathon in Geneva to simulate virus/cell interaction through code, later showcasing the work at the Tribeca Film Festival. And for the past year he has been traveling the world with Hanson Robotics’ famous Humanoid Robot “Sophia,” operating her at the Jimmy Fallon Show, Star Talk with Neil Degrasse Tyson, The Today Show and many other events.
