About Benedicta

Benedicta Donkor | bdonkor[at]mtsu.edu

Benedicta is currently a Post-doc Fellow in Professor Kathryn Hosbein's Research group at Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN. She earned her M.S. and PhD degrees from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Auburn University in 2022 and 2025, respectively. In 2018, she completed her undergraduate studies at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, Ghana, where she conducted her senior thesis research with Professor Akwasi Acheampong. 

Benedicta attended Pentecost Preparatory School at Bubiashie, Accra, Ghana, for her basic education, completing in 2010. She attended Ofori Panin Senior High School afterwards, graduating in 2013.

Benedicta earned her B.Sc. in Chemistry (Honors) from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in 2018 under the supervision of Professor Akwasi Acheampong. During her time at KNUST, she served as the Deputy Academic Board Chairperson for the Ghana Students' Chemical Society, where she coordinated academic activities relevant to the society members, primarily chemistry students. 

She later pursued her M.S. in Chemistry at Auburn University, where her research focused on the identification of pesticides using experimental and computational approaches based on ion mobility mass spectrometry measurements. During her M.S. degree, she was invited to give a talk in Data-Blitz, American Society of Mass Spectrometry (ASMS) Workshop on IMS-MS in Environmental Applications on the topic “Identification of Pesticides and their Degradation Products using Liquid Chromatography Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry (LC-IM-MS) with Computational Calculations” at the 2021 annual American Society of Mass Spectrometry Conference. She completed her M.S. degree in 2022 and joined Professor Jordan Harshman's Research group at Auburn University to pursue her doctoral studies in Chemistry Education Research. 

During her doctoral studies, Benedicta conducted an in-depth investigation into the overarching goals of chemistry doctoral education, examining both the intended goals and the actual outcomes of key programmatic elements such as research, coursework, lab rotations, and candidacy exams among others. Her research explores how these elements collectively contribute to the development of expertise in graduate students, as perceived by faculty members. The ultimate goal of this work is to build a conceptual model explaining how faculty believe novice graduate students transition into independent scientists through the doctoral education process.

In addition to her primary research, Benedicta spearheaded an independent project exploring the experiences of women faculty in chemistry, shedding light on the unique challenges and opportunities they encounter in academia. She also contributed to a study on metacognitive interventions in introductory biology courses, focusing on how reflective practices and self-regulation strategies impact student performance and confidence under the supervision of Dr. Min Zhong. 

Beyond her research, Benedicta is deeply committed to service and leadership. In 2019, she became involved with the Nesvard Institute of Molecular Sciences, an African-focused, private nonprofit research and educational institution in Ghana. This experience further ignited her passion for computational and theoretical chemistry. At the institute, she has collaborated with fellow researchers to explore reaction mechanisms through computational studies, a project that has led to several publications. This opportunity has allowed her to deepen her expertise in computational chemistry while making meaningful contributions to the field.

In addition to her research, Benedicta has demonstrated leadership within the academic community. She served as the Treasurer (2022–2023) of the Auburn University Chapter of the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE), where she supported initiatives aimed at empowering students in STEM fields. In 2024, she further expanded her leadership experience by serving as a presider for the Chemistry Education Research: Graduate Student Research Symposium at the Biennial Conference on Chemical Education. She also facilitated a session titled "Acting for Change Across Our Spheres of Influence" at The Virtual Event (Reed College), where she guided a discussion on fostering positive change within various professional and personal spheres.

Benedicta’s academic journey and research interests are deeply shaped by her experiences as a first-generation student. She remains dedicated to collaboration, mentorship, and advocacy in STEM education and academia.

You can connect with me via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benedicta-d-0b109318b/ 

Email: beneddonkor[at]gmail.com or benedicta[at]nesvard.org