Stuart works at the Monash University Accident Research Centre as an Associate Professor. He is an Associate Director of MUARC where he leads the Centre's Injury Analysis and Data Team. He holds a Ph.D. in Applied Statistics and is Accredited by the Statistics Society of Australia. He has worked at MUARC since 1993 and developed specific expertise in a wide range of safety research areas with a numerical focus. His methodological based skills cover the areas of experimental design and sample size estimation, design and analysis of surveys, database design, management and analysis, database linkage, high level statistical analysis including the full range of modern statistical techniques, economic analysis, statistical consulting and statistical software.

Dr Newstead's areas of significant topic based expertise include a range of safety issues with a particular focus on safety program evaluation, vehicle safety evaluation monitoring and policy setting, police enforcement programs, vulnerable and high risk road user safety, injury data systems design and analysis and injury outcome metrics.