Suzanne Purdy, PhD

Suzanne Purdy is a true international audiologist, having made substantial contributions to the profession of audiology in New Zealand and globally over her 30-plus year career.

After earning her PhD at the University of Iowa, she helped establish New Zealand’s first audiology master’s program and then spent three years as senior research scientist at National Acoustic Laboratories in Sydney, Australia.

She has held multiple academic positions at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, where she is currently head of the School of Psychology.

Dr. Purdy has published 160 peer-reviewed articles in top audiology and medical journals and is in high demand as an international speaker.

Her extensive research interests range from auditory processing disorders to the effects of socioeconomic deprivation on hearing loss and language delay in children. With colleagues, she has originated novel approaches to rehabilitation for neurological conditions, including Māori-led community initiatives.Dr. Purdy’s professional service is extensive, but most notably, her ancestral links to the indigenous Māori people of New Zealand have led her to take a strong interest in Māori hearing health and wellbeing. She is held in high esteem and affection by her patients, students, and international colleagues, evidenced by supporters of Dr. Purdy’s awards nomination from six nations.