Sara A. Webb is an Australian astrophysicist, mutli-award winning science communicator and author, best known for her work at the intersection of astronomy, space-based experimentation, and public engagement. In 2025, she was recognised on the Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 List in Healthcare and Science as the only Australian academic selected . She was previously named a Superstar of STEM (Science and Technology Australia) in 2023. Webb is a Lecturer and Course Director at Swinburne University of Technology, where she leads student-driven space programs and contributes to interdisciplinary research spanning astrophysics and microgravity science.
Webb pursued a career in astrophysics and space science, developing expertise across astronomy, data analysis, and interdisciplinary research. Her academic career has been shaped by a strong commitment to both research excellence and science education, with a particular focus on creating authentic research experiences for students.
Sara A. Webb began her academic journey with a Bachelor of Science at Queensland University of Technology, majoring in physics with minors in astrophysics and computational mathematics, where she undertook early research projects on star formation in galaxies and developed a passion for both research and science communication. During her undergraduate studies, she also wrote and led science based workshops for school students, sowing the seeds of her long-term commitment to public engagement.
For her honours year, Webb focused deeply on astrophysics through a joint research project with the Australian Astronomical Observatory, simulating supernova explosions and observing distant galaxies with AustraliaâÂÂs largest optical telescope. In 2017 she was selected as the sole Australian participant in international programmes including the University of TorontoâÂÂs Dunlap Summer School and the COSMOAndes workshop in Chile, experiences which solidified her research ambitions.
Webb joined Swinburne University of Technology in Australia as a PhD candidate in 2018, which she completed in 2021. Her PhD helped shape the Deeper, Wider, Faster transient astronomy programme, with a thesis centred on the universeâÂÂs fastest transient events and one of the first applications of unsupervised machine learning to complex astronomical timeseries data. Her PhD work was co-supervised through international collaborations based out of Caltech and included time as a Kavli Student Fellow at UC Santa Cruz, where she further developed her computational expertise.
Following her PhD, Webb held postdoctoral roles at Swinburne, including interdisciplinary research applying machine-learning techniques to decision-support systems in partnership with national research teams. During this period, she also became Mission Director for the Swinburne Youth Space Innovation Challenge, overseeing student-designed experiments destined for the International Space Station. Her research focuses on using artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyse large and complex astrophysical data sets, such as identifying sources of gravitational waves and fast radio bursts. Her early work in machine learning for anomalous source detection allowed her to discover a sub-population of ulta fast flares on M-dwarf stars within the Milky Way.
In mid-2024, Webb transitioned to a permanent academic appointment as Course Director at Swinburne University of Technology, where she leads Swinburne Astronomy Online, directs microgravity experimentation initiatives within the Space Technology Industry Institute, and continues her research at the intersection of astrophysics, artificial intelligence, and space science.
Webb is a prolific science communicator, appearing as an expert correspondent to discuss space and astronomy. Webb is a go-to expert in radio, TV and print media. Her articles have appeared in The Conversation, COSMOS and BBC Science Focus, and been including in the Australian Anthology Best in Science Writing. Her doubt book "The Little Book of Cosmic Catastrophes" was released worldwide October 2024.