Associate Professor Andrew Bennie

Dr Andrew Bennie works on the traditional lands of the Darug Peoples as an Associate Professor in Health and Physical Education (HPE) and Sport Development. His research interests focus on sports coaching, factors influencing elite athlete development from a psychosocial perspective, First Nations Peoples’ sport participation, social justice, and teaching and learning in Health and Physical Education. Dr Bennie is a co-founder of Coaching Unlimited, an initiative that provides sport specific coaching accreditation and research-based workshops to support First Nations sport coaches. He is interested in supervising postgraduate students working on aspects of sports coaching, elite athlete development, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples sport participation and education, as well as sport for development.

Dr Bennie’s main teaching and learning takes place in subjects that focus on PE pedagogy. He continually seeks to improve the student learning experiences with contemporary teaching and learning that is inclusive, technology enriched, research driven, and focuses on students’ applying new knowledge in authentic settings. In 2018, he was awarded a School of Science and Health Excellence in Teaching Award; in 2019, a Western Sydney University Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning Award; and in 2020 became a Senior Fellow with the Higher Education Academy.

Dr Bennie has worked in Governance roles such as the Academic Course Advisor (2012 and 2014) and Director of Program (HPE) 2014-2018 and in 2020-2021. He served as member for the School of Health Science's Indigenous Working Party and currently leads an interdisciplinary University Peer Teaching Program. Dr Bennie is also a member for several external committees including the Australian Sports Commission and the NSW K-6 PDHPE Syllabus Advisory Group.

Dr Bennie also possesses a thorough interest in sport, life-long learning, Australian hip-hop, and contemporary issues such as conservation, sustainability, and globalisation.