Sally Benson (professor)

Sally M. Benson is a professor of energy engineering at Stanford University. In 2014, she was appointed as director of the Precourt Institute for Energy, the university's hub of energy research and education. Benson will continue on as director of Stanford's Global Climate and Energy Project (GCEP), a position she has had since 2007.

On November 24, 2021, Benson was appointed to the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy as deputy director for Energy and Chief Strategist for the Energy Transition.

Biography
Benson received a B.S. in geology from Barnard College of Columbia University, and a Ph.D. in materials and mineral engineering from the University of California-Berkeley.

Benson has held several positions with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California. These include 1980–2007, Staff scientist (director 1993–1997), Earth Sciences Division; 2001–2004, deputy director for operations; 1997–2001, Associate laboratory director, Energy Sciences.

Awards and honours
Benson has won various awards, including the 2012 Greenman Award, Michel T. Halbouty Distinguished Lecture Award from the Geological Society, and the ARCS American Pacesetter Award. She was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2023.