PhD Science, 2009; Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Applied Chemistry and Forensic Science, 2000
UTS Chancellor’s Award for Excellence 2021; UTS Alumni Award for Excellence 2021 - Faculty of Science
Dr Sarah Benson PSM is the Chief Executive Officer of Sport Integrity Australia (SIA), appointed by the Federal Government following her impactful leadership as Acting CEO and senior executive within the agency. Since joining SIA in 2023, Dr Benson has driven a nationally coordinated response to sport integrity issues, championing initiatives that safeguard sport from a broad spectrum of integrity threats.
She was the inaugural leader of the Safety in Sport Division, and architect of the Empowering Women & Girls in Sport Integrity Program—both pivotal in strengthening protections across all levels of Australian sport. Her strategic leadership continues to shape SIA’s evolution as a trusted national and global leader in sport integrity.
Prior to her role at SIA, Dr Benson served as Chief Forensic Scientist with the Australian Federal Police (AFP), leading a team of 350. Her forensic expertise supported major international operations, including disaster victim identification efforts following the MH17 tragedy and the White Island volcanic eruption.
Dr Benson holds a PhD in Forensic Analysis of Explosives and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Applied Chemistry from UTS. Her research has contributed to terrorism prevention and advanced forensic methodologies used in complex investigations worldwide.
In recognition of her contributions, Dr Benson received the Public Service Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List (2021), the Science UTS Alumni Award for Excellence, and the UTS Chancellor’s Award for Excellence.
With deep expertise in science, operations, and international collaboration, Dr Benson leads SIA with a clear vision: to ensure trust, fairness, and safety in sport through to 2032 and beyond.
I would like to continue to strengthen the partnerships across industry and academia to ensure graduates continue to be workforce ready in an ever changing environment and to ensure fields of specialisation, such as Forensic Science, continue evolving through research and enhanced scientific knowledge in order to maximise impact to combat the threats in our criminal environments and keep the Australian community safe.