Originally from Thailand, Benjamin Pongtep Cefkin is a PhD candidate in Ethnomusicology at the University of ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ Boulder. His dissertation titled "Kinship, Conflict, and Collaboration in the Performing Arts Between ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥'s Thai, Lao, and Cambodian Communities" investigates the cross-cultural and intercultural relationship between the youth arts ensembles of various Theravada Buddhist ethnic diaspora communities based around Denver, ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥.
As a research assistant at the American Music Research Center, Ben works on the NEH-funded "Soundscapes of the People" project collecting oral histories about music and culture in Pueblo, ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥. Ben also teaches courses on Rock & Roll history and ethnomusicology at the University of Denver's Lamont School of Music and at the Metropolitan State University of Denver.ÌýHe holds a BA in Ethnomusicology from the University of ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ Boulder.
Outside of university instruction and research, Ben is a director of music at Denver's Thai Buddhist temple, Wat Buddhawararam and is a musician and dancer with Denver's Balinese Gamelan Tunas Mekar.