| Dr Kate Funder | |
| Birth Name: | Kathleen Rose Brennan |
| Birth Date: | 19 September 1941 |
| Birth Place: | Wonthaggi, Victoria |
| Death Place: | Melbourne, Victoria |
| Other Names: | Kate |
| Occupation: | Psychologist, Social Scientist, Teacher |
| Spouse: | John Funder |
| Children: | Anna, Hugh and Joshua |
| Years Active: | 1964—1998 |
Kathleen Rose Funder, née Brennan, (19 September 1941 – 13 June 1998) was an Australian social scientist, who is recognised for her significant contribution to the Australian Institute of Family Studies as a Principal Research Fellow.
Funder took her BA in 1963, and later completed her postgraduate education at the University of Melbourne, receiving an MA in 1983 and a PhD in 1993.[1]
After graduating, Funder taught English at the Geelong West Technical School and at the Emily McPherson College, before joining the Department of Education as an educational psychologist. Kate was a member of the Victorian Psychologists Registration Board, the Research Advisory Committee of the Victorian Association of Family Therapists, and as Chair of the Victorian Branch of the Australian Psychological Society, and Chair of the Advisory Committee, Psychology Department, Swinburne University.[2]
In 1983, Funder joined the Australian Institute of Family Studies as a Principal Research Fellow.[3] This marked the beginning of a fifteen-year career at the institute. During this time she led and participated in research that determined family wellbeing – including divorce, single parenthood, care of children, and property rights. Kathleen was an influential voice in public debates and contributed to scholarly journals, mainstream press and government inquiries.[4]
Among her many publications were books Images of Australian Families: approaches and perceptions, and Remaking families: adaption of parents and children to divorce. Kathleen also contributed to Family Matters; a research journal of the Australian Institute of Family Studies.[5]
Funder was an observer on the Family Law Council and a member of the Australian Law Reform Commission Reference on Children and the Law. She was also a member of the Committee on Family Research of the International Sociological Association and the National Council on Family Relations in the United States.
The Kate Funder Scholarships were established in 2008. The scholarships provide support for two medical students at the University of Melbourne's Newman College.[6]
There are some biographical cuttings relating to Funder at the National Library of Australia. Funder Street in the Canberra suburb of Bruce is named after her.[7] [8]