Elizabeth Jean Carleton Hay-Smith is a New Zealand academic, and is a full professor at the University of Otago in Wellington, specialising in research on non-surgical treatments for pelvic organ prolapse and bladder problems.
Hay-Smith was born and brought up in Te Awaroa, and originally trained and worked as a physiotherapist before moving into academia.
[1][2] During her work as a physiotherapist at The London Hospital, obstetrician Wendy Savage began referring women experiencing dyspareunia (painful sex after childbirth) to her.
Encouraged to pursue academia by obstetric physiotherapist Jill Mantle, Hay-Smith then studied dyspareunia for her master's degree.
[2] Returning to New Zealand, Hay-Smith completed a PhD titled Pelvic floor muscle training for female stress urinary incontinence at the University of Otago in 2003.