Cathy Stinear

Cathy Maree Stinear is a New Zealand clinical neuroscientist, and is a full professor at the University of Auckland, specialising in stroke rehabilitation and techniques for prediction of stroke recovery. She was appointed Chair of the Neurological Foundation of New Zealand in 2021, and is the first woman to chair the organisation.

Academic career Stinear did not want to go to university, and left school during her final year. She then trained as a pilot, and worked as a flying instructor. Stinear then joined the faculty of the University of Auckland, rising to full professor in 2019. Stinear is Director of the Clinical Neuroscience Laboratory in the Department of Medicine, and conducts clinical research within the Auckland District Health Board’s Stroke Unit. Stinear chaired the Neurological Foundation's science advisory committee for four years, and was appointed Chair of their Council in 2021, following on from Dr Barry Snow. She is the first woman to chair the foundation.

Stinear's postdoctoral research focused on stroke rehabilitation, and she has continued to work in this area, using neurophysiological and neuromodulation techniques to work directly with patients, and to make individualised predictions for stroke recovery.

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