Juanita Todd

Professor Juanita Todd is a prominent academic and research leader at the University of Newcastle, holding the position of Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research). She leads strategic research initiatives and oversees teams responsible for research performance, ethics, and graduate research. Her academic background includes a PhD and prior roles in clinical psychology and research leadership. She is affiliated with the School of Psychology and Department of Psychology at the University of Newcastle.

Her research focuses on schizophrenia, auditory perception, and cognitive neuroscience, with a particular interest in mismatch negativity (MMN) as a biomarker. She has explored neural mechanisms underlying perceptual inference and collaborated on projects involving rodent models of schizophrenia. Her work emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches and translational research.

Todd has received awards including the UWA Convocation Medal (1990) and Distinction for her PhD thesis (2001). She co-founded HunterWiSE, promoting women in STEM through school programs and networking. Her educational background includes degrees from the University of Western Australia in Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and a Company Directors Course.

She actively advocates for diversity in leadership and has contributed to grants and collaborations in neuroscience, psychiatry, and STEM equity. Her research spans neuroimaging, electrophysiology, and behavioral studies, addressing questions about brain function, mental health, and translational biomarkers.