Misty Bensman, MS

Misty Bensman is Senior Director for Operations & Integration at the National Strategic Research Institute at the National Strategic Research Institute at the University of Nebraska, the DOD-designated University Affiliated Research Center sponsored by U.S. Strategic Command.

In this role, Bensman leads enterprise-level integration of program management, operations and business processes across NSRI’s research portfolio. She oversees portfolio performance, resource planning and workflow standardization to enable efficient execution of complex, multi-agency research programs in support of the U.S. Government.

From 2022 to 2025, Bensman served as director of NSRI chemical and biological defense (CBD) program operations, leading strategic business development, program integration and resource alignment for the CBD portfolio. From 2018 to 2022, she served as a senior scientist and principal investigator, managing multiple CBRNE-related programs for the Department of Defense (DOD) and the intelligence community and providing program management oversight for NSRI’s CBD portfolio.

Prior to joining NSRI, Bensman was lead scientist for the Chemical, Biological, Radiological Concepts and Experimentation Branch at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD), where she led DOD projects focused on biological agent defeat and decontamination. Earlier, she served as a scientist in the Special Technology Integration Branch, leading asymmetric warfare testing and managing branch-level procurement and contracting.

Bensman’s contributions to the DOD were recognized with the Dahlgren Honorary Award of Merit for Group Achievement, the Warfare Center Excellence Award for Collaboration and a Letter of Appreciation for STEM support from the Commanding Officer of NSWCDD.

She holds a Master’s degree in biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University and bachelor’s degrees in biology and exercise science from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania. Her professional certifications include:

• DAWIA Level III Systems Planning, Research, Development & Engineering – Systems Engineering (Defense Acquisition University)
• DAWIA Level I Science & Technology Management (Defense Acquisition University)
• Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) Certification (Atlantic Management Center, Inc.)