Dr Cather Simpson is a Professor of Physics and Chemical Sciences at the University of Auckland and a partner at Pacific Channel, an early-stage investment company. She is also a director of the International Society for Optics & Photonics (SPIE), and a founder & director of Orbis Diagnostics.
In 2010, Dr Simpson founded and directed The Photon Factory at the University of Auckland. She is a founder of three high-tech startup businesses including Engender Technologies, where she served as chief science officer from 2011 to 2021.