Suzanne Purdy (Te Rarawa, NgāiTakoto) is a Professor in the School of Psychology. Previously she was Head of School (2018-2023) and Head of Discipline of Speech Science (2003-2018) in the School of Psychology. She has broad interests in hearing, communication and neuroscience, including communication difficulties in children and adults, ear and hearing health equity, auditory processing and auditory electrophysiology. She is a Principal Investigator with the Centre for Brain Research (CBR). Current research projects include investigations of therapies for people with neurological conditions, sensory processing in people with mild cognitive impairment, auditory processing in adults and hearing health equity for children. Previous HRC-funded projects have examined hearing and auditory processing in the Pacific Islands Families Study. She is a member of the hearing research team for the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study and is a co-investigator with the Tāmaki Manaiakalani Cluster Welcome to School project. International collaborations include Macquarie University and University of Manchester. Previous collaborations include Hong Kong University, Oxford University (CATALISE Consortium) and National Acoustic Laboratories, Sydney.

Distinctions/Honours:

2024 NZ Speech-language Therapists’ Association Tohu Manaaki award

2024 Life Member of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

2022 Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit
2021 American Academy of Audiology International Award for Hearing
2018/19 New Zealand Speech-language Therapists’ Association 2019 Grace Gane Memorial Award
2016 National Foundation for the Deaf Inc. Hearing Hero Supreme Award
2012 NZ Speech-language Therapists’ Assoc. Marion Saunders Literary Award
2005 Inaugural Outstanding Service Award, NZ Audiological Society
2004 Certificate of Outstanding Service, Audiological Society of Australia
1989 University of Iowa Collegiate Associations Council Research Award
1987-1990 University of Iowa Graduate Assistantship
1987-1990 New Zealand Department of Health Study Award
1987-1990 Fulbright Travel Award for PhD study at the University of Iowa
1978 University of Auckland Senior Psychology Prize

Qualifications:
MSc, PhD, DipAud, FAAA, MNZAS(Honorary), ASHA(Associate), NZSTA(Associate)

Media Keywords:
Audiology, Auditory evoked potentials, Auditory processing, Speech, language and communication, Hearing health equity, Choral singing therapy for neurological disease, Parkinson's disease, Mild cognitive impairment, Stroke