Kaarin Anstey

Scientia Professor Kaarin Anstey is an ARC Laureate Fellow and Director of the UNSW Ageing Futures Institute, with a conjoint appointment as Senior Principal Research Scientist at Neuroscience Research Australia. She holds leadership roles in international dementia prevention initiatives, including founding the International Research Network on Dementia Prevention and serving as Vice Chair of the Global Council on Brain Health. Her primary academic affiliation is with the School of Psychology at UNSW.

Professor Anstey completed a BA (Hons) at the University of Sydney and a PhD at the University of Queensland. She is a Registered Psychologist (PSY0001140672) and holds multiple fellowships reflecting her interdisciplinary impact.

Her research program focuses on two primary domains:

• Cognitive resilience and dementia prevention: Investigating modifiable risk factors across the lifespan, developing risk assessment tools (CogDrisk), and leading multidomain intervention trials.
• Older adult mobility and safety: Creating validated risk assessment tools for older drivers and exploring technology acceptance in aging populations.

She maintains advisory roles with WHO, AIHW, and NHMRC guideline development groups.

Recent publications (2022-2025) demonstrate strong emphasis on:

• Developing and validating dementia risk algorithms for diverse populations
• Examining sex/gender differences in cognitive aging trajectories
• Testing technology-assisted interventions for cognitive health
• Addressing health disparities in Indigenous communities

Major scientific recognitions include:

• ARC Laureate Fellowship
• Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (FAHMS)
• Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia (FASSA)
• Fellow of the Royal Society of New South Wales (FRNS)
• Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society (FAPS)

She leads multidisciplinary teams at the UNSW Ageing Futures Institute and maintains collaborative networks through the Maintain Your Brain trial and International Research Network on Dementia Prevention. Current projects include the AU-ARROW multidomain intervention trial and Labs Without Walls digital health study.