Jobs & Student Opportunities

Postdoctoral position in Cognitive Neuroscience of Performance, Montreal

A postdoctoral position is available at McGill University, Montreal, Canada from June 2012, to work on sensorimotor integration in music and speech with Professor Caroline Palmer in the Sequence Production lab (http://www.mcgill.ca/spl/), funded by NSERC and Canada Research Chairs.

We develop models of auditory memory and motor functions in music and speech, with an emphasis on multimodal integration and temporal coordination. Our approach is formal/computational and behavioural, with use of motion capture, acoustic and EEG measurements, and we have strong
collaborations with music neuroscience labs in the Montreal community (more details at http://www.mcgill.ca/spl/)

The position is funded for two years. The stipend is commensurate with experience and the position includes health coverage. Successful candidates will have a PhD in psychology, kinesiology, computer science or a related field and a research record in auditory cognition/motor performance. Candidates should send their applications (including a letter of interest, a CV and contact information for 2-3 references) to Caroline Palmer at SPLpostdoc at gmail.com. Applications will be accepted until April
15, 2012 and the position will be filled in summer 2012. Please contact me for further details on specific projects.

Caroline Palmer
Professor, Dept of Psychology
Canada Research Chair
McGill University
1205 Dr Penfield Ave
Montreal, QC H3A 1B1 Canada
Caroline.palmer at mcgill.ca

 

BioMusic Post-Baccalaureate Certificate, University of North Carolina – Greensboro

Music Research Institute

The Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in BioMusic requires 15 semester hours and provides students interdisciplinary, sate-of-the art knowledge, methodologies, and skills needed to effectively participate in BioMusic research and teaching. The coursework will provide innovative, relevant foundational knowledge and experiences that reflect the changing perspective of the 21st century on the role of music and music-making’s fundamentals in humans and other species.

This certificate is intended for professionals or recent graduates who already have a bachelor’s degree in music, liberal arts, or sciences to gain state-of-the-art knowledge and skills in all aspects of BioMusic including current tools and methodologies in order to actively participate in BioMusic research and teaching.

For more information contact Ms. Karen Hayden, kehayden at uncg.edu or visit the website: http://performingarts.uncg.edu/graduate/music/post-bacc-certificates

 

Professor in Musicology – University of Amsterdam

 The chair in Musicology focuses on contemporary music and music practices (also in respect of earlier music), music cognition and world music studies.

 For more information:

http://www.uva.nl/vacatures/vacatures.cfm/1D39040B-EED7-40CF-B02CD0BBC2484470

 

Masters in Performance Science at the Royal College of Music, London

Following the successful launch of a new Masters (MSc) in Performance Science in 2011, the Royal College of Music is currently accepting applications for its second year, starting September 2012 (applications by 5 January 2012). A description of the programme is provided and further information is available at www.rcm.ac.uk/MSc.

Please share this announcement with anyone who you feel may be interested in the programme, or ask them to contact Tania Lisboa or Aaron Williamon for further information (tlisboa@rcm.ac.uk or awilliamon@rcm.ac.uk).

 

Post-doctoral fellowship, Auditory Cognitive Neuroscience (ACN) Network, Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Centre, University of Toronto, Canada

The post-doctoral fellow will work with Drs. Bernhard Ross and Takako Fujioka, and participate in studies about neural oscillatory mechanisms underlying rhythm processing and their plasticity with music training in adults and children as well as stroke and other clinical population, using magnetoencephalography (MEG). The studies will be part of collaborative research with Dr. Laurel Trainor at McMaster University
and the McMaster Institute for Music and the Mind. Also the ACN provides scientific exchange opportunities through annual summer workshop with trainees and mentors in the other participating laboratories in Montreal and Toronto areas.

We look for candidates with a PhD with a strong track record of publication, communication and organization skills, and good knowledge in auditory cognitive neuroscience, EEG/MEG and/or other neuroimaging and behavioural methods.

Please contact Dr. Takako Fujioka (tfujioka <at> rotman-baycrest.on.ca) or Dr. Bernhard Ross (bross <at> rotman-baycrest.on.ca) for more details, or visit the website here. The deadline for ACN award application is January 20, 2012.

 

PhD Studentships at Queen Mary University of London

Queen Mary University of London's School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science has recently released its funded PhD studentships list for 2012/13 entry. A subset of this list pertaining to topics led by the Centre for Digital Music can be found here, and are listed below. The application deadline is 31 Jan 2012. Studentships marked with an asterisk (*) have UK residency requirements.

Mathematical Models for Musical Prosodic Gestures
Supervisor: Prof. Elaine Chew (Centre for Digital Music)
Co-supervisor: Dr. Oscar Bandtlow (School of Mathematical Sciences)

In music performance studies, prosody is the musician-specific timing, stress, and sometimes intonation added when interpreting a notated score. Mid- to high-level music prosodic gestures, for example tempo trajectories, often invoke parallels in the physical world, such as a damped oscillator. This project seeks to identify and mathematically model such gestures. The mathematical descriptors will form the basis for a vocabulary of prosodic gestures for music.

Ensemble Interaction Over Distance
Supervisor: Prof. Elaine Chew (Centre for Digital Music)
Co-supervisor: Prof. Patrick Healey (Interaction Media and Communication)

When a small group of musicians negotiate in performance (i.e. real-time) the shaping and execution of a collective interpretation, the communication is non-verbal; some of the cues can be embedded in the musical prosody, and some demonstrated through gestures. This project aims to capture, analyze, quantify, and model the cues necessary for effective and engaging ensemble performance, by studying both co-located as well as distributed (over the Internet) ensembles.

Adaptive, personalised digital musical instruments
Supervisor: Dr. Andrew McPherson (Centre for Digital Music)
Co-supervisor: Prof. Elaine Chew (Centre for Digital Music)

A performer can take decades to learn a musical instrument. This studentship will focus on creating instruments that learn the capabilities and artistic preferences of the individual performer, with a particular focus on the relationship between physical gesture and sound production. The successful candidate will develop intelligent gesture-sound mapping strategies, which dynamically update based on feedback from the performer. User studies with professional and amateur musicians will be integral to all stages of the project, and the successful candidate will take a leading role in designing and conducting these studies. The project aims to make performance more accessible to beginning musicians while enabling new modes of expression for experts.

Probabilistic Modelling of Temporal Expectations in Music
Supervisor: Dr. Marcus Pearce (Centre for Digital Music)
Co-supervisor: Dr. Matthew Purver (Interaction Media and Communication)

The project's goal is to construct and evaluate computational models of human temporal expectation. It involves developing probabilistic models of temporal prediction, taking representational account of rhythm and metre. The models and parameters are optimised to maximise prediction performance and compared to human temporal expectations in empirical studies of listeners.

Intelligent Interfaces for Accelerating Intermediate Piano Learning (*)
Supervisor: Prof. Elaine Chew (Centre for Digital Music)
Sponsoring Company: Yamaha R&D Centre London

Ubiquitous access to digital music, and the hours of practice required to master new pieces, has led to a decline in amateur instrument playing. Cognisance of music structure can facilitate planning and sequence production, and enhance music making pleasure. Machine intelligence can help diagnose areas of difficulty and offer targeted constructive assistance. The studentship will propose/evaluate score-based visualisations of music structure and gestures that accelerate intermediate piano piece mastery for young and adult learners. Candidates should be proficient at programming, experienced with user interface design, have some background in statistics, and possess at least amateur-level piano playing ability.

Semantic Audio: bringing audio signal analysis together with future internet technologies (*)
Supervisor: Prof. Mark Sandler (Centre for Digital Music)
Sponsoring Company: Focusrite/Novation

The project is concerned with analysis of musical content where it is created (typically in studios), thus affording much cleaner computer representation of musicological information in the music that can then be used both to enhance consumer experiences and recording studio practices. We base the representation on RDF and ontologies, which are the technologies that underpin Open Data, Semantic Web and the Internet of Things. We have collaborated with organisations such as BBC, MusicBrainz and the British Library in developing these principles.

 

Tenure-Track Faculty Positions in the MIT Media Lab

The MIT Media Lab (www.media.mit.edu) is seeking candidates to fill two tenure-track faculty positions.
The Media Lab is an anti-disciplinary research organization focusing on the invention of new technologies that radically improve the way people live, learn, express, work, and play. Candidates should have a record of original thinking, action, and impact in the arts, design, and quality of life. Applicants should be willing to take risks commensurate with the Media Lab's willingness to look beyond known boundaries and disciplines.
Successful candidates will: establish and lead their own research group within the Media Lab; pursue creative work of highest international standard; engage in collaborative projects with industrial members and other Media Lab research groups; supervise master's and doctoral students; and participate in the Media Arts and Sciences academic program.
The Media Lab welcomes applications from candidates interested in establishing research programs in: music, performance, arts, design, food, fashion, architecture, games, things we have not thought of, or any combination thereof. To apply, please fill out the application at: http://facultysearch.media.mit.edu
Application deadline: February 1, 2012
Questions? Contact faculty-search at media.mit.edu

Masters opportunities at The Music Psychology Training programme: University of Jyväskylä, Finland

The Music Psychology Training programme will take new students in September 2012. The program consists of two master's degree programmes
• Music, Mind and Technology
• Music Therapy

The degree programmes are taught in English, consist of 120 ECTS credits, require two academic years of full-time study, and are tuition free. The application period will be between November 21, 2011 and February 29, 2012. For further information, please visit: http://www.jyu.fi/mpt

 

Graduate and Postdoctoral Fellowships in Auditory Cognitive Neuroscience

Applications are sought for graduate and postdoctoral fellowships offered by the Auditory Cognitive Neuroscience (ACN) Training Network, which provides 1-2 years of stipends to graduate students and postdocs to pursue ACN research with one of 30 faculty members at McGill University, McMaster University, and University of Montreal, the Rotman Research Institute, and the Montreal Neurological Institute. Citizens of all countries are eligible. Positions begin Sept, 2012.

The deadline for Graduate and Postdoctoral Fellowship applications is January 20, 2012. Full application details are available at www.acn-create.org/admissions/ and questions can be sent to acn.create@gmail.com.

 

PhD fellowship in Music, Language and/or Computation: University of Amsterdam

The Institute for Logic, Language and Computation (ILLC) currently has a PhD fellowship available at the Faculty of Humanities starting on 1st September 2012. Applications are now invited from excellent candidates wishing to conduct research in an area in which either the Logic and Language group or the Language and Computation group at ILLC are active.

Deadline for application: 01 February 2012
For more information see: http://www.hum.uva.nl/mmm/jobs.html

Academic behavioral & cognitive neuroscience positions: Michigan State University

The Department of Psychology and the interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program at Michigan State University invite applications for two academic year (nine-month) positions, one in behavioral neuroscience and the other in cognitive neuroscience, beginning August 2012. We anticipate hiring at the Assistant Professor level, although candidates of higher rank will also be considered. These positions are part of an expansion of the Neuroscience Program that includes three additional and complementary positions in other departments. All applicants must have a Ph.D. in psychology, neuroscience, or related field at the time of appointment. Successful applicants will be expected to establish a productive and extramurally-funded research program and to contribute to the teaching and service missions of the Department of Psychology and the Neuroscience Program. Outstanding candidates in any area of behavioral or cognitive neuroscience are encouraged to apply. Use of multiple research methodologies and/or strong quantitative expertise is desirable but not required.

Applicants must complete an online application at https://jobs.msu.edu/ (#5290 for the behavioral neuroscience position and #5291 for the cognitive neuroscience position). Applications should include a curriculum vita, statements of research and teaching interests, and selected reprints. Please also arrange for three letters of recommendation to be emailed to kasel@msu.edu (Attn: Neuroscience Search). Review of applications will begin on December 1, 2011, and will continue until suitable candidates are identified. MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer. MSU is committed to achieving excellence through a diverse workforce and inclusive culture that encourages all people to reach their full potential. The University actively encourages applications and/or nominations of women, persons of color, veterans and persons with disabilities. Inquiries for the behavioral neuroscience position should be directed to Dr. Sharleen Sakai (sakai@msu.edu) and for the cognitive neuroscience position should be directed to Dr. Devin McAuley (dmcauley@msu.edu).

Two-Year Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Psychology and Creativity - Lawrence University

Lawrence University seeks candidates for an ACM-Mellon Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Creativity, to begin September 1, 2012. This two-year position will build on Lawrence’s distinctive configuration as a premier liberal arts college joined with a nationally recognized Conservatory of Music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. The Fellow will be a member of the psychology department in which she or he will teach basic courses in psychology, a course in creativity, and upper-level interdisciplinary courses in his or her area of specialization. The course in creativity will make use of the relationship between the department and the Conservatory of Music. This course can take various forms, depending on the interests of the Fellow; the basic criterion is an interest in some aspect of the relationship between psychological processes and music. We anticipate the creativity course will be cross-listed in psychology and music. The Fellow will teach three courses per year and will be expected to develop a program of scholarship.

Applications are encouraged from scholars of psychology with expertise that connects them to creativity through a background in the psychology of learning, aesthetics, perception or personality. The successful candidate would have the potential to relate his or her work to music and the performing arts generally. Experience as a musician is not a requirement. PhD must be completed by the time of the appointment. Send a letter of interest and CV to David Burrows, Provost and Dean of the Faculty, Lawrence University, 711 E. Boldt Way, Appleton, WI 54911. Electronic submissions are encouraged and may be sent to david.burrows@lawrence dot edu. Please also arrange for the submission of three letters of reference.

Applications will be reviewed starting January 15, 2012.

 

Full time postdoctoral research scientist position - Universiy of Lille

One full-time postdoctoral research scientist position is available in France: Brain imaging, neuropsychology and music in patients with memory disorders (Séverine Samson, France, severine.samson@univ-lille3.fr). 12 month position, neuropsychology (epilepsy patients) and neuroimaging (fMRI) at the University of Lille in collaboration with La Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris.

The selected candidate will be part of an ongoing, multi-disciplinary project assessing the benefits of music
on memory funded by the French National Agency of Research. The ideal candidate will have a PhD in
Psychology, Neuropsychology, Neuroscience or related fields with skills in experimental design and
neuroimaging methods (fMRI, EEG). Applicants with interests in music, speech, memory or emotion are
encouraged to apply. Prior experience working with human participants is highly desirable but not required.

Project Description

Objective of the post doctoral research:
The fellow will investigate the benefits of music on memory and learning abilities and the possible transfer
of skills to nonmusical domains in various clinical populations (epilepsy and Alzheimer patients).
Neuroimaging and neuropsychological studies of auditory memory and emotion will be conducted using
music in healthy and brain-damaged participants. This work might also require extensive analysis of data
from memory experiments. The project is highly interdisciplinary and will involve frequent interactions with clinical collaborators (Epilepsy Unit) and other neuroimaging scientists (Centre for NeuroImaging Research (CENIR) - ICM) at La Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris.

Methods planned for the post doctoral research:
Behavioural and fMRI methods in patients with memory disorders (e.g., temporal lobe epilepsy) as
compared to healthy participants.

Required:
Ph.D in Experimental Psychology, Neuropsychology, Neuroscience or related fields.
Knowledge of research design, statistical skills, programming skills (e.g., MATLAB).
Prior experience of fMRI and/or EEG techniques.
Interest in music and/or memory.
French speaking is highly desirable but not required.

Salary:
Around 2000 euros net per month (duration of the contract: 1 year renewable on a yearly basis based on
satisfactory performance and continued funding)

To apply for this position please send a cover letter including a research statement and your scientific
interests, CV, reprints of recent publications, and names of two referees to Professor Séverine Samson :
severine.samson@univ-lille3.fr
The position is available immediately and applications will continue to be accepted until the position is filled.