Postdocs

Ana Luísa Pinho
I am a BrainsCAN Postdoctoral Fellow in the Music and Neuroscience Lab as well as Diedrichsenlab since October 2021. My research interests lie in the intersection of functional neuroimaging, data and information science (namely development of ontologies in cognitive neuroscience) and music cognition. After completing my MSc in Engineering Physics at Instituto Superior Técnico (University of Lisbon, Portugal), I enrolled in the BEB PhD Programme at the University of Coimbra in Portugal where I took subsequently the chance to develop my doctoral project at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden under the main supervision of Prof. Fredrik Ullén. My PhD thesis focused in the investigation of the neural correlates underlying creativity within the framework of musical performance, in which I used musical improvisation as behavioral model and functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) as neuroimaging technique to measure brain activity and assess creativity in a large sample of professional pianists. Afterwards, I worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Parietal Team, at NeuroSpin in Paris (France), under the supervision of Dr. Bertrand Thirion for the development of the Individual Brain Charting (IBC) dataset, which refers to an open-access neuroimaging initiative concerning the acquisition and analysis of multitask fMRI data toward the establishment of a neurocognitive atlas of the human brain. Now, I’ll be again combining cognitive-atlassing techniques to fMRI data as means to investigate the cortico-basal ganglia-cerebellar circuitry involved in the cognitive ability of forming temporal predictions during rhythmic and non-rhythmic sequences of events. You can check my website on: alpinho.github.io
I am a BrainsCAN Postdoctoral Fellow in the Music and Neuroscience Lab as well as Diedrichsenlab since October 2021. My research interests lie in the intersection of functional neuroimaging, data and information science (namely development of ontologies in cognitive neuroscience) and music cognition. After completing my MSc in Engineering Physics at Instituto Superior Técnico (University of Lisbon, Portugal), I enrolled in the BEB PhD Programme at the University of Coimbra in Portugal where I took subsequently the chance to develop my doctoral project at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden under the main supervision of Prof. Fredrik Ullén. My PhD thesis focused in the investigation of the neural correlates underlying creativity within the framework of musical performance, in which I used musical improvisation as behavioral model and functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) as neuroimaging technique to measure brain activity and assess creativity in a large sample of professional pianists. Afterwards, I worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Parietal Team, at NeuroSpin in Paris (France), under the supervision of Dr. Bertrand Thirion for the development of the Individual Brain Charting (IBC) dataset, which refers to an open-access neuroimaging initiative concerning the acquisition and analysis of multitask fMRI data toward the establishment of a neurocognitive atlas of the human brain. Now, I’ll be again combining cognitive-atlassing techniques to fMRI data as means to investigate the cortico-basal ganglia-cerebellar circuitry involved in the cognitive ability of forming temporal predictions during rhythmic and non-rhythmic sequences of events. You can check my website on: alpinho.github.io

Josh Hoddinott
In 2014 I completed a BA (Honours) at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Grenfell Campus. In 2018 I completed a Master of Science in the Neuroscience program at the University of Western Ontario. Currently, I am interested in using neuroimaging techniques to investigate how different characteristics of a beat can influence beat perception, and how beat perception can vary in relation to musical expertise. Though I have little formal musical training, I have a love of music. I play a variety of instruments (or at least a variety of guitars) and enjoy the challenge of writing and recording music. I am excited to be a part of the Grahn Lab where I am able to combine my passion for research and music in a way that is meaningful.
In 2014 I completed a BA (Honours) at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Grenfell Campus. In 2018 I completed a Master of Science in the Neuroscience program at the University of Western Ontario. Currently, I am interested in using neuroimaging techniques to investigate how different characteristics of a beat can influence beat perception, and how beat perception can vary in relation to musical expertise. Though I have little formal musical training, I have a love of music. I play a variety of instruments (or at least a variety of guitars) and enjoy the challenge of writing and recording music. I am excited to be a part of the Grahn Lab where I am able to combine my passion for research and music in a way that is meaningful.

Jesse Mark
I joined the Music and Neuroscience lab as a postdoctoral fellow in November 2024. Before this, I earned my Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering at Tufts University outside Boston, and both my Master's and PhD in Biomedical Engineering at Drexel University in Philadelphia. My specialization was in the field of neuroergonomics and neuroengineering, in which I utilized noninvasive multimodal neuroimaging (fNIRS, EEG, fMRI) to measure correlates of cognitive workload during the learning of complex flight tasks, and to then develop novel neuroadaptive training methods for pilots. Inspired by a moment when the entire audience of a concert I attended spontaneously felt like a single, cohesive entity, I am now interested in researching interpersonal neural synchrony between performers and their audience. I hope to create hyperscanning methods that can be used to enhance this feeling of connection and sense of oneness.
I joined the Music and Neuroscience lab as a postdoctoral fellow in November 2024. Before this, I earned my Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering at Tufts University outside Boston, and both my Master's and PhD in Biomedical Engineering at Drexel University in Philadelphia. My specialization was in the field of neuroergonomics and neuroengineering, in which I utilized noninvasive multimodal neuroimaging (fNIRS, EEG, fMRI) to measure correlates of cognitive workload during the learning of complex flight tasks, and to then develop novel neuroadaptive training methods for pilots. Inspired by a moment when the entire audience of a concert I attended spontaneously felt like a single, cohesive entity, I am now interested in researching interpersonal neural synchrony between performers and their audience. I hope to create hyperscanning methods that can be used to enhance this feeling of connection and sense of oneness.
Graduate Students
Lab Manager

Jeremy Brand
Hello! I'm graduating with an Honours Specialization in Psychology. My research focus is on understanding the brain functionality of individuals with neurological disorders and the development of therapeutic interventions. This curiosity led me to Dr. Grahn's research on the rehabilitative potential of music for Parkinson’s disease and inspired me to join the lab. The research conducted continues to both surprise me and enhance my understanding of how profoundly influential music is to the brain. I feel honoured to contribute to this research and am enthusiastic about growing my knowledge and research skillset. This experience will undoubtedly shape how I approach future research and patient rehabilitation as an aspiring neuropsychologist.
Hello! I'm graduating with an Honours Specialization in Psychology. My research focus is on understanding the brain functionality of individuals with neurological disorders and the development of therapeutic interventions. This curiosity led me to Dr. Grahn's research on the rehabilitative potential of music for Parkinson’s disease and inspired me to join the lab. The research conducted continues to both surprise me and enhance my understanding of how profoundly influential music is to the brain. I feel honoured to contribute to this research and am enthusiastic about growing my knowledge and research skillset. This experience will undoubtedly shape how I approach future research and patient rehabilitation as an aspiring neuropsychologist.
Visiting Scholars/Students
Honours Thesis Students
Independent Study Students
Work Study Students/ Research Assistants/Internships/Summer Students
Alumni
Postdocs
![]() Karli Nave
I have been a postdoc in the Music and Neuroscience lab since January 2022. Before this, I received my PhD in Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2021. My research investigates how we perceive time and rhythm in sound, such as in music and language, as well as the underlying neural mechanisms. To this end, I combine imaging approaches with psychological behavioral paradigms to measure brain activity patterns while participants make judgments about auditory rhythms. In one line of research, I investigate how neural patterns of activation entrain to beat and meter in music using EEG, as well as how individual differences in these brain activations are related to other cognitive skills, such as language. In another line of research, I investigate the extent to which neural processes underpinning uniquely human responses to musical rhythm are shared across species using fMRI with both human and non-human primates. As an advocate for open science practices, I also spearheaded a multi-lab replication/extension project in auditory neuroscience investigating entrainment to musical beat (check out the OSF page for more details and updates). In my free time, I enjoy hiking and camping, spending time with family, and pottery. ![]() Thibault Chabin
I received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the University of Burgundy-Franche Comté (FRANCE) and joined the Grahn lab in January 2022. I am especially interested in the music reward system, my research focuses on how people share emotions and how the social context affects the processing of abstract rewards such as music. My past research investigated the emotional synchrony of people attending a concert together by estimating the physiological and Interbrain synchrony in an EEG hyperscanning study. Here I will investigate how the “social hormone” oxytocin can affect the processing of various types of rewards including abstract musical rewards and how this pharmacological intervention coupled with social modulations can affect the overall musical emotional experiences. I will also investigate the relationships between rhythmic irregularities, groove, and musical pleasure in various auditory and naturalistic musical listening tasks. Besides my research activities I am also a musician, I completed the third cycle of French conservatories (Euphonium) and play bass guitar. ![]() Christina vanden Bosch der Nederlanden
I began working as a postdoc in the Neuroscience and Music lab and the Language, Reading, and Cognitive Neuroscience lab in August of 2016. My research investigates how we make sense of the sounds around us by considering how low-level (e.g., acoustic characteristics) and high-level (e.g., attention, experience, context) factors contribute to auditory processing. These factors are particularly interesting to examine during human development, when children are learning how to process and extract relevant information from everyday sounds, like music, language, and other environmental sounds. As such, I study how listeners of all ages process acoustic features, like pitch and rhythm, and apply music-, language-, or context-specific knowledge under different testing conditions. Here at Western, I am able to bridge the research interests of both labs by using EEG to study how children with and without reading deficits entrain to the rhythms of speech and song. I received my Ph.D. in 2016 from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in Experimental Psychology with a Developmental emphasis. ![]() Molly Henry
I am a postdoc in the Music and Neuroscience Lab since January 2015. I am interested in how synchronization between brain rhythms and environmental rhythms (for example, musical rhythm) shapes auditory perception. I am particularly interested in whether and how synchronization of brain rhythms with musical rhythms gives rise to the perception of a “beat”. In the long run, I am interested in how individual differences in brain–environment synchronization might lead to impairments that accompany aging or disordered states. Before arriving at Western, I was a postdoc in the Max Planck Research Group “Auditory Cognition” at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig, Germany. I received my PhD in Experimental Psychology in 2011 from Bowling Green State University. Coming to Western has given me a unique opportunity to bring together my expertise in analysis of brain signals with my original interests in rhythm and music perception. Molly Henry's Webpage ![]() Eric Taylor
I am a post-doctoral fellow in Jessica Grahn's Music and Neuroscience Lab at the BMI, having recently joined in September 2016. I completed my PhD at Purdue University in 2013, studying the relationship between perception, action, and attention. Some of my work from that time focused on the observation of action and its related representations in music and visual art. Musicians in particular are an ideal population to study perception-action links because they have spent years establishing very specific and practiced action-effect outcomes. Studying expert populations gives us insight into the mental and neural representation of music, and more broadly, action. Recently, I completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Toronto, where I conducted research on visual attention. Joining Jessica's lab has opened up wonderful opportunities to incorporate neuroscientific methods into my research. Eric Taylor's Webpage |
![]() Swathi Swaminathan
I am a postdoc in the Music and Neuroscience Lab as well as the Köhler Memory Lab since August 2020. Before this, I completed postdoctoral work at Baycrest Hospital and the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. I received my doctoral degree in psychology from the University of Toronto. My research seeks to understand how musical and other artistic endeavours relate to cognitive development and change across the lifespan, and I explore these questions using a combination of basic research (carried out in lab settings) and applied research (carried out in community settings). For example, in past work I have explored basic theory-focused questions such as the modularity (or relative independence) of music and language in children and adults’ minds, and the relative contributions of training and aptitude in the development of music-perception skills. I have also worked on applied research asking whether virtual interventions can improve the wellbeing of older adults in care settings by improving their access to art in museums and arts-based recreation more generally. Currently, I am again combining basic and applied research techniques to study the psychological and neural mechanisms by which music cues autobiographical memory even in dementia, and whether music-listening interventions can have positive long-term impacts on autobiographical memory for people living with dementia in the community. Besides being a central focus of my research life, music is also a constant avenue of personal learning. Although I do not have as much time these days to sing for audiences, I do still train in an old form of North Indian classical music called Dhrupad with the renowned singer, Pt. Uday Bhawalkar. ![]() Emily Ready
I am an occupational therapist and have a PhD in the Health and Rehabilitation Sciences program at Western as part of the Combined MScOT/PhD program. In 2013 I finished my Bachelor of Arts in Honours Psychology at St. Thomas University with a research focus on the fallibility of eyewitness testimonies and uptake of this information within the judicial system. My current work stems from collaboration between Health Sciences and Psychology with joint-supervision from Dr. Jessica Grahn and Dr. Jeffrey Holmes. My dissertation is a collection of clinically-oriented studies investigating music-based rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS) as a technique for gait rehabilitation in Parkinson's disease. Specifically, the project explores the properties of music-based RAS (e.g., groove, familiarity) that drive changes in gait patterns and how they interact with individual beat perception abilities and task instruction (demand to synchronize or walk freely). The ultimate goal of the project is to develop clinical recommendations on how to individualize and maximize therapy for people living with Parkinson's disease and to increase general knowledge of the relationship between music and movement. ![]() Lucy McGarry
I began my postdoc in the Music and Neuroscience lab here at the BMI in January, 2015. My research focuses on the interplay between music, movement, and perception. Some of my research questions include: Does dancing or singing to music affect perception, memory, or emotional experience of the music? Does synchronous movement facilitate emotional communication? Does moving to music support proper movement execution? Currently I am involved in studies examining the role of singing in memory for song lyrics, the effect of music-based training on walking in Parkinson’s, and the brain mechanisms of memory for music in healthy adults and patients with Alzheimer’s. I did my PhD at Ryerson University in Toronto, examining the role of motor regions of the brain in emotional understanding of music and other audio-visual signals. I also designed an app that uses music and movement to help kids with autism understand emotions. My research methods involve EEG, fMRI, and behavioral measures, and I enjoy taking on new data analysis challenges. At the Grahn lab, I have the exciting opportunity to pursue my love of music, dance, and science at once. ![]() Demian Kogutek
I am an accredited music therapist with the Canadian Association for Music Therapy and a PhD candidate in the Health and Rehabilitation Science program at Western. I began my formal music studies at Juan Jose Castro Conservatory of music in Buenos Aires, Argentina, at the age of fifteen. In 2009, I graduated from the Honors Bachelor of Music Therapy program at University of Windsor and the Master’s of Music Therapy at Wilfred Laurier University in 2011. My main instrument of practice is classical guitar; but comfortable playing a myriad of instruments and voice. I have experience working in geriatrics, oncology, and palliative care clients in long-term care, hospital, and hospice settings. My current work stems from collaboration between Health Sciences and Psychology with co-supervision from Dr. Jessica Grahn and Dr. Jeffrey Holmes. My research area of interest is motor improvement through participant’s active use of musical instruments in improvised music therapy sessions for those with physical impairments resulting from neurological conditions. ![]() Li-Ann Leow
I recently joined the lab as a post-doctoral research fellow after completing my PhD in the University of Western Australia late 2012. My PhD work showed that Parkinson's disease results in a selective deficit in retaining motor learning acquired from updating an internal model, despite intact ability to update an internal model during motor learning. I am currently examining how synchronizing movements to music could alter movement kinematics in Parkinson's disease and in neurologically intact controls. I am also interested in further exploring the basal ganglia's role in predicting and/or maintaining an internal model of the beat. |
Alumni
Visiting Scholars
![]() Lívia Giacomet
Hi! I’m Lívia, a Brazilian second-year undergraduate in Psychology, and I’m here as a volunteer RA for research-only purposes. Music is pure magic to me, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to explore its neural correlates and profound influence on our lives. My main interests lie in understanding how music can enhance quality of life across the lifespan and support learning processes. I am honoured to be contributing to the Grahn Lab and to learn from this experienced team. This is a movie-like opportunity that I’m looking to make the most out of. ![]() Ana Luisa Fredo Marques
I’m an undergraduate Psychology student at the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR) in Brazil, currently working at Grahn Lab as a visiting scholar from Globalink Research Internship (Mitacs). Throughout my academic education, I’ve been involved in research and extension projects related to neuropsychology, mostly under an interdisciplinary approach, which I consider a powerful tool to the development of knowledge across different areas. At UFPR, we are exploring the use of games as a therapeutic tool on a project called “Interludico – Game Based Cognitive Intervention-Therapy”, and I’m interested in the study and understanding how music can also be used in such interventions. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to work at Dr. Grahn’s Lab and unite two passions: Music and the Neurosciences. I hope to contribute somehow to this amazing project and continue studying these fascinating areas. ![]() Levi Satter
I am an international undergraduate researcher joining the lab through the Fulbright Canada Mitacs Globalink program. My home university is Brooklyn College in the United States. I am analyzing data from previous tDCS and beat reproduction experiments under the guidance of Josh Hoddinott. Further I am examining the nuances of neural stimulation within the literature. Through in-depth statistical analysis and theoretical exploration, I aim to identify novel avenues for future music-based neural stimulation research. ![]() Anne-Kathrin Brehl
I am a visiting PhD from the Donders Institute in the Netherlands. I first completed a Master of Arts with classical piano as a major. Lectures on music cognition had triggered my interest in cognitive sciences, so I enrolled for psychology and graduated with a Master’s in psychology at Hamburg University in 2016. I received a stipend of the German Academic Exchange Services (DAAD) to follow an additional one-year Master’s program in cognitive neuroscience in London, UK. For my PhD at the Memory & Emotion lab at the Donders institute, I investigate neural biomarkers of anxiety by applying fMRI in combination with a range of physiological measurements. Preliminary results of my first studies indicate that individuals differ in terms of neural mechanisms underlying symptoms of anxiety. At the Grahn lab I am setting up a project on stage anxiety. In this study, we aim to characterize neural biomarkers of anxiety in musicians with stage anxiety in order to relate cognitive and physiological aspects of stage anxiety to specific neural biomarkers in the individual. https://www.ru.nl/donders/research/theme-3-plasticity-memory/research-groups-theme-3/memory-emotion ![]() Sanjana Sanghani
Hi! I am a rising high school senior, and I attend Saint Francis High School in Mountain View, California. I have always been very interested in biology, psychology; and more specifically, neuroscience, and plan to pursue a career in medicine someday. I am also very passionate about music, and have been a student of music my entire life. I took a course in Cognitive Neuroscience at UC Berkeley last summer, which piqued my interest in research on music and its effects on brain. The research Dr. Grahn has been pursing also rings in with the work I have participated in with developmentally disabled children; I have noticed how music quite clearly has a therapeutic effect on them, both physically and emotionally, which I find very fascinating. I am so excited that I came across Dr. Grahn's research, and I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to participate in her research efforts in whichever way I can. I look forward to working in the lab and learning a lot! |
![]() Dr. Christine Carter
Christine is interested in how musicians can be more effective on stage and in the practice room. She currently hold a SSHRC Insight Development Grant with co-researchers Dr. Jessica Grahn and Dr. Jonathan De Souza to investigate music practice strategies. She is particularly interested in the application of “desirable difficulties” to music learning. Her research has led to a variety of publications and invitations to give workshops at dozens of institutions around the world. Christine is also an active clarinetist. Performances have taken her across the globe, from Carnegie Hall to the Sydney Opera House. Her recordings on Marquis Classics and Coviello Classics are regularly heard nationally on CBC radio. She completed her Doctor of Musical Arts at Manhattan School of Music, where she taught the Woodwind Lab for 4 years, and is now Associate Professor of Music at Memorial University in Canada. Christine is a Buffet Crampon Artist. www.christine-carter.com ![]() Anne-Maude Patouillard
I am a Visiting Graduate Student at the Neuroscience and Music lab since January 2017, coming from France. I have completed my master of Medicine in Grenoble and just took a year out of my studies before starting my final year. This time off gives me the opportunity to work in this fascinating field of neurocognition of music. My interest is mostly in the clinical application (e.g. Parkinson's disease) that could arise from research about how music and rhythm are perceived, processed in the brain, and how this is connected to movements. The study I'm involved in deals with how music can affect gait pattern and which music parameters are involved (e.g. Groove, familiarity, instructions given like synchronization of the footfalls with the beat or free-walking), in healthy older adults and then in Parkinson's patients. I'm excited about those next months in Grahn Lab, conciliating my passion for music (I love singing, playing the piano and the clarinet) and science. ![]() Anjali Rose Kumar
Hey my name is Anjali Rose Kumar, I'm a psychology major and musician in Northampton Massachusetts at Smith College. I spent this summer in the Grahn lab with hands on experience running participants in studies regarding RAS (rhythmic auditory stimulation) and gait, and tDCS (trans cranial direct-current stimulation). Before coming here this summer, I only read about music cognition research in text books and online so it was cool to see the process that goes into creating the literature we digest as undergraduate students and learners. I have no clue what life has in store for me with my lost 21 years of age but this experience has validated my love for music and how the mind perceives it and how it can be used a tool for healing. In fact my next pursuit of exploration lies in music therapy because of what I was exposed to in this lab! ![]() Marion Gasselin
Hi everyone ! My name is Marion. I just completed my undergrad in Biochemistry at Rouen-University in France and I will start my Masters in Neurosciences next September. I have always been fascinated by the brain and how it works. I also play piano so the Grahn lab combines both of my passions : Music and Neurosciences and this is why I choose to do my internship in this lab. I am really excited to work here for two months and I know I am going to learn so many things that will help me in my further studies. I am also really grateful to have the chance to work with this incredible team. ![]() Cécile Gasser
I'm a student coming from France and I'll be in the lab for 2 months. Next year I'll obtain my engineer's degree in Biology where I would like to continue my studies in Neurosciences. It is a real opportunity to work here in the lab, allowing me to consolidate my passion for both music (I play flute, cello and piano) and brain studies. I am currently working with Avital on her Music and Memory project. |
Alumni
Lab Managers
Alumni
Grad Students
![]() Zhaleh Mohammad Alipour
I’m a PhD student in the Neuroscience program at the University of Western Ontario. I completed my Bachelor’s degree in music at the University of Tehran, and my Master’s in the Psychology of Children and Adolescents at the Kharazmi University (both in Iran). For my Master’s thesis, I worked on the effects of change in the rhythmic pattern of musical pieces on emotion and functional connectivity network of the brain. I am currently co-supervised by Dr. Jessica Grahn and Dr. Blake Butler, working on duration and beat perception through three different sensory modalities of audition, vision and touch. More precisely, my research investigates whether there is a hierarchical structure between the perception of the three levels of timing (including single durations, nobeat sequences and beat-inducing sequences) and how this structure can be different in different modalities. ![]() Adam Cotton
I completed my MSc in Music Cognition and Hearing Science while in the Grahn Lab, where I had the privilege of being co-supervised by Dr. Jessica Grahn and Dr. Ewan Macpherson (hearing sciences). My master's thesis, Welcome to the Jungle: The Effects of Ultrasoundscape Exposure on Cognitive Performance and Perceived Restoration, found notable results regarding aesthetic preference, ultrasound-induced cognitive fatigue, and the restorative qualities of natural versus urban soundscapes. Previously, I earned my BA in Music with a focus on composition, classical guitar, and electronic music at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Subsequently I engaged in various musical endeavors, including performing in rock bands, touring, working in the film industry, and producing and engineering albums and other audio projects. I have also done some bartending. My work in the film industry encompasses composing, sound design, sound editing, and production sound. Recently, I produced a podcast titled "Is This a Dream" that delves deeply into the subject of lucid dreaming and features interesting guests, along with original music. ![]() Abdullah Al Jaja
I have completed my undergrad with an Honors specialization in Interdisciplinary Medical Science (IMS). I have started my Masters in Neuroscience at the Brain and Mind Institute working with Parkinson’s patients and rolled-over to a Ph.D. in the same program afterward. My main goal is to test the cognitive aspect of Parkinson’s disease on different medication states and to tease apart the effect of Parkinson’s disease on the one hand and dopaminergic replacement on the other. My primary project is to test brain response to different tone pips and detect the level of synchronization with such tones using electroencephalography (EEG). I am also investigating genetic polymorphisms that might result in higher or lower dopaminergic signaling depending on different dopamine receptors and its effect on cognition in both Parkinson’s disease patients and healthy controls. Another future project is to study the influence of anxiolytics on gait, in particular, freezing of gait in Parkinson’s patients. The Grahn lab is one of the leading labs in gait research. I believe that the Grahn lab will give me a great opportunity to further expand my research options and help me with my Ph.D. in the coming years. ![]() Avital Sternin
I am a PhD student in the lab in the Behavioural and Cognitive Neuroscience stream of the Psychology program. I received my MSc in the same program here at Western in 2016, and my BSc in Neuroscience from Brock University in 2014. I am interested in exploring the effects of music on cognition and learning how this knowledge can be translated into clinical populations (e.g. Alzheimer's, dementia, TBI). ![]() Sarah Klapman
I am a a first-year Master's student in Neuroscience at Western University. I studied classical voice (B.Mus.) and psychology (B.A.) at Mount Allison University in Sackville, N.B., where I completed music cognition research on the role of audiovisual influences in pitch-space associations. I am interested in the neural correlates of music and memory, especially as they pertain to people experiencing dementia. Under the joint supervision of Drs. Jessica Grahn and Ingrid Johnsrude, I'm excited to learn more about why music is preserved in dementia, even when other fundamental cognitive functions are lost. The end goals of this research are 1) to address some of gaps in the current music neuroscience literature, and 2) to provide information and concrete tools for older adults and their caregivers to maintain and improve quality of life. ![]() Tram Nguyen
I am a PhD candidate in the Psychology program at the University of Western Ontario. I am proud to say that I have always been a Mustang as I have also completed my Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees at Western. I have been working with Dr. Grahn since September 2010. Together we examined the effects of music on learning and memory. My doctoral research will be an extension of my Master’s research and will explore how specific properties of music, particularly those that modulate mood and arousal, influence cognition (including memory, reasoning, attention, and planning). Although I work and surround myself with music every day, I do not possess a musical bone in my body (unless you count the recorder – and I am not very good at that)! ![]() Fleur Bouwer
My name is Fleur Bouwer and I am visiting the Grahnlab in the fall of 2013 as part of the PhD research I'm doing under supervision of Prof. Henkjan Honing at the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands (see mcg.uva.nl). My research aims at uncovering the workings of beat perception in general and the role of attention in beat perception in particular. I use EEG to answer these questions and my visit to the Grahnlab will allow me to also use fMRI, which will help us to look at these questions from a different angle. I have an MSc in Psychology and a Masters degree as a performing clarinetist. When I'm not trying to figure out how our brains deal with the beat in music (which is a fairly spectacular ability if you think about it!), you can still find me on stage carrying a clarinet around on a regular basis. ![]() Dirk Schuit
Music has always interested me. I listen to it daily, play acoustic and electronic percussion, and compose music on my laptop. Now, I also study the brain's processing of rhythmic information as a PhD candidate under Dr. Grahn. After graduating high school, I had to decide between pursuing a career as a professional percussionist or a degree in biological psychology. At Maastricht University (Netherlands), I completed my bachelor's and masters program (cum laude) in psychology and cognitive neuroscience. During my master's internship under Dr. Grahn, I can finally combine music and cognitive neuroscience, my two greatest affections. Thankfully, I received the opportunity to continue working on this mixture of passions at Western University, and get to know a new continent in the process. |
![]() Kristi Von Handorf
I am a PhD student in the Cognitive, Developmental, & Brain Sciences area of the Psychology department. I completed my MSc at the Music, Mind, and Brain program at Goldsmiths in London, UK. Before my master’s, I lived in Walla Walla, Washington, where I received my BA in music performance and psychology and did research in music cognition. Currently, I’m interested in examining the neural mechanisms of disordered gait in Parkinson’s disease and how these can inform gait rehabilitation via music-based rhythmic auditory stimulation. ![]() Syed Raza
I am a Master of Science student in the Neuroscience department at Western University. I completed my BSc in Neuroscience at Brock University, where I did research in the Biomechanics and Motor Control Lab as part of my undergraduate thesis. I am broadly interested in the motor systems of the brain, including the connection between these systems and the perception of rhythm. I hope to explore this connection in depth during my Master's degree in the Grahn Lab. Any potential findings in this area would lead to a better understanding of the functions of the motor areas of the brain, as well as the mechanisms through which rhythmic stimuli are perceived by humans. ![]() Aaron Gibbings
I am a PhD student in the Behavioural and Cognitive Neurosciences program in the Department of Psychology at the University of Western Ontario. I also received my Masters of Science at Western, and my Bachelor’s of Arts, Honours Specialization in Psychology from King’s University College at the University of Western Ontario. I am interested in investigating the neural correlates of beat perception using electroencephalography, and I have always been curious about people’s preferences and ability to hear complexities in music. More specifically, I am interested in the effect of attention and musical experience on people’s perception of music and rhythm. The only thing I like more than listening to music is playing music. I have had years of both formal and informal training on a number of different instruments. ![]() Brendon Samuels
I graduated from the University of Guelph with a Bachelor of Science Honors degree in biological sciences in 2014 where I specialized in the study of the brain and cognition. My senior undergraduate research project concerned topics in learning and visual cognition. I am currently a Master’s of Neuroscience student at the University of Western Ontario. I will be collaborating between the labs of Dr. Grahn and the Advanced Facility for Avian Research as I develop my master’s thesis project. My research involves the study of auditory cognition in songbirds; specifically, I am interested in whether starlings are able to perceive rhythm in auditory stimuli, and identifying what structural aspects of an auditory stimulus affect their perception. Select bird species are among the few vocal-learning animals, including humans, that are capable of following a beat, though the mechanisms underlying this capability are not yet understood. Like many other members of this lab, my upbringing contributed to my academic interest in music: I am classically trained in piano, and also dabble in violin, saxophone and ukulele. ![]() Brittany Roberts
In June 2015 I received a Bachelor of Arts, Honors degree with a major in Kinesiology and a major in Psychology from Brescia University College. Currently, I am a Master’s of Neuroscience student at Western University. I have an interest in Neuroscience since it is the combination of biological and psychological fields of study. My research involves studying the influence musical properties (i.e., groove, enjoyment, and familiarity) have on human movement, specifically gait. Music has always been an active part of my life from singing in church choirs to playing the violin, flute and acoustic guitar. Therefore, I look forward to investigating the neuroscientific aspects of music as well as the therapeutic potential music may have in special populations. ![]() Dan Cameron
I’ve been working in the lab as a PhD candidate in Neuroscience since 2012, and my research investigates the brain mechanisms underlying the perception and behaviour associated with musical rhythm. I’m particularly interested in the ability to hear and feel the ‘beat’ in musical rhythms and the diversity of contexts in which this occurs in the real world. Before coming to Western, I completed a BMus in percussion performance at the University of Toronto (2007), studied biopsychology at the University of Winnipeg, and completed an MSc in Music, Mind, and Brain (2011) at Goldsmiths (University of London). My research uses a variety of methods (including behavioural methods, TMS, EEG, and fMRI), and covers a variety of topics related to rhythm (including neural entrainment to the beat, how beat perception unfolds over time, beat perception in metrically ambiguous contexts, the influence of culture and expertise, and changes in motor system excitability due to beat perception). I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with Dr. Grahn at the Brain and Mind Institute, and for support from NSERC. Email me! [email protected]. ![]() Taylor Parrott
I am a Master’s student in Neuroscience at The University of Western Ontario. I completed an undergraduate Honors Specialization degree in Medical Sciences at Western. I am interested in the neural components of musical rhythm. My work examines the flexibility of a beat based rhythm and the involvement of the basal ganglia. In addition, I also study how Parkinson’s patients encode rhythms and if they can synchronize motor movements to certain components of music. For more information on my Master's project, click here. When I am not in the lab I enjoy whistling like the birds on snow white and the seven dwarfs and playing my trumpet. |
Alumni
Research Assistants
Alumni
Honours Thesis/Independent Study Students
![]() Matthew Leung
Hi, I’m Matthew and I am a 4th year undergraduate student pursuing an Honours Specialization in Neuroscience and a Minor in Music Performance on the clarinet. Since a young age, I’ve been heavily involved with playing music and have always had an insatiable interest in how our brains operate. The Music & Neuroscience Lab has not only allowed me to combine my passion and academic endeavours together, but also opened me up to many fascinating discoveries through brain mapping and stimulation. My experience working with Dr. Grahn and various PhDs and graduate students have made me enjoy testing participants and analyzing data. Currently, I’m involved in investigating Music-Based Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS) in gait in Parkinson’s patients with Kristi, as well as the effects of transcranial direct stimulation (tDCS) on beat stimulation and perception with Karli. I believe research is an unending journey with a sense of commitment and reward, so I hope to continue contributing to the Music & Neuroscience Lab throughout my undergraduate degree! ![]() Lauren Dibbon
Lauren Dibbon is a Western University National Scholar pursuing an Honours B.Sc. in Biology and Psychology. She has spent several years as a research assistant in the Appleton Lab, a Physiology and Pharmacology lab at Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, and is now excited to begin neuroscience research in the Grahn Lab at the Brain and Mind Institute. Beyond her academic and advocacy work, Lauren is deeply immersed in music. She plays the trumpet and piano and has been a vocalist in the Western University Singers choir for the past two years. ![]() Karine Silva Ramos dos Santos
Hi everyone! I am a 3rd-year undergraduate student in Singing at the UNESPAR. I have completed a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education at Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF) and a Bachelor of Education in Phisical Education at the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR) in Brazil. At the UFPR, in 2022, I worked on a project called EnvelheSendo where it was developed physical activities to improve the health of the elderly population. Currently as a professor of Physical Education and as a music student, the combining music with physical exercise calls my attention. Outside of the school, I sing, I act, I do voice overs and go for runs. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to work in the Grahn Lab! ![]() Alexandra Elmslie
Hello! My name is Alexandra, and I am a 2nd year undergraduate student pursuing an Honours Specialization BSc Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience degree, in addition to the Scholar’s Electives program. As both an accomplished pianist and neuroscience student, I am fascinated by the significant neurological influence music possesses, and I am passionate about furthering researching regarding how music can help treat neurological and psychiatric disorders. Within the Grahn lab, I am currently investigating music-based rhythmic auditory stimulation and how this can assist the rehabilitation of Parkinson’s disease patients with neural mechanisms of disordered gait. Outside of the lab, I enjoy hiking, reading Jane Austen, and playing various instruments. ![]() Isha Agarwal
Hi, I’m Isha. I am currently in my fourth year of studies pursuing an Honours Specialization in Psychology at Western University. Although I cannot play an instrument to save my life, listening to music and attending concerts makes my life complete. Outside of music I enjoy reading, travelling, painting and playing tennis. I am excited for the opportunity to conduct my honours thesis at the Music and Neuroscience lab with Dr. Jessica Grahn and learn from other lab members throughout the process. ![]() Joshua Williams
Hi everyone! I am a 4th-year undergraduate student pursuing an Honours Specialization in Neuroscience. As a multi-instrumentalist and jazz musician, the Music and Neuroscience Lab appealed to me through its connection between music and neuroscience. I’ll be helping out with a study researching the ecological validity of virtual reality as a tool for analysing the synchronisation of gait patterns. Outside of the lab and school, I play in the jazz ensemble and go for runs. I’m grateful for the opportunity to work in the Grahn Lab, and am excited for this year! ![]() Kyle Ing
I am a 4th year undergraduate student working towards graduating with an Honors Specialization in Neuroscience here at Western. Outside of academics, I'm an aspiring independent artist and spend most of my free time writing and producing music. The Grahn lab has given me the opportunity to help with a study exploring social bonding, rhythm, and musical reward, and I'm grateful to be able to take part in research that overlaps with much of my interest. ![]() Katsiaryna Buchko
Hi everyone! I am entering my fourth year in the Honours Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience program at Western. Although I have little experience practising music, I am a trained dancer with an appreciation for music and the way that it impacts our movement and cognition. This appreciation, combined with my academic interest in neuroscience, motivated me to join Dr. Grahn’s lab this summer as part of the Undergraduate Student Research Internship program. I am interested in the use of musical interventions for neurological disorders and would hope to do research of my own in the future. I am so grateful for this opportunity and look forward to gaining valuable research experience in the lab this summer! ![]() Ivan Quan
Hello all! I’m Ivan Quan, a fourth-year undergraduate student pursuing an Honours Specialization in Physiology alongside a double major in Computer Science. Under the supervision of Dr. Grahn and Rebekka Lagacé-Cusiac, I am working at the Grahn Lab on my honours thesis project to study the human ability to quantify intermediate durations in a bisection task. While the classic bisection task implores participants to classify an interval duration on a binary short or long scale, this study aims to discern if we can mentally represent intermediate durations that might not be classified as short or long. I was drawn to working at the Grahn lab as a passionate listener of music, being interested in how we mentally represent and process music and how this could affect our behavior. I am grateful for the opportunity to work at the Grahn lab, and I much look forward to combining my passions in music and physiology into a meaningful contribution to the lab’s research! ![]() Alistair Cranmer
Hello, I am a 5th-year undergraduate student pursuing an Honours Specialization in Psychology intending to apply to a master's in Social Work. I'm excited to have been accepted at Grahn Lab to do my Honours Thesis project. I intend to study the effects of different types of stimulation of the Supplementary Motor Area (SMA) using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on ratings of pleasure felt by the participant after listening to their favourite song. I will be conducting my study under the guidance of PhD student Marina Emerick and Master's student Rebekka Lagacé-Cusiac. I have been fascinated by music and its effects on people's brain activity and thus their affect since I was a teenager when I joined a choir school and began learning to play different musical instruments, a passion I've continued into adulthood. ![]() Simon Hawke
Hi! I am a 4th-year undergraduate student pursuing an Honours Specialization in Neuroscience and looking to apply to Medical School or Graduate School in the upcoming years after receiving my Bachelor's. I had the pleasure of doing an independent study last year where I got my first taste of a true lab environment and learned so much in regards to writing, collecting data and broadening my knowledge of certain niches of literature. As someone who grew up playing the piano and then got lucky enough to perform in some musical theatre productions in high school, being able to combine elements of music with my love for the brain and interest in neurodegenerative diseases is a best-case scenario. I will be building on my feasibility study from last year by continuing to use functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) for analyzing brain activity while simultaneously looking at gait patterns and characteristics. Hopefully, in the future, these preliminary trials which we will perform in the upcoming months can allow for a greater understanding of gait patterns in individuals such as those with Parkinson’s Disease and how these characteristics may be actively correlated to changes in brain activity. ![]() Jaehyun Hwang
Hello there! My name is Jay and I’m a 4th year undergraduate student who is pursuing a degree in Honours Specialization in Physiology and Pharmacology. One of my passions is playing the cello, so I was naturally drawn to the Grahn Lab where we can study the relationship between music and physiology. By working with Dr. Grahn and Rebekka, I am studying how rhythmic context affects temporal ratio perception for my thesis project. As a musician, I have always wondered how our brains perceive and interpret temporal information. The reason why I am specifically studying temporal ratios is because they are an important component in music as well as in speech, so I find this subject extremely interesting and relevant. I am super excited to be contributing to this field of study! ![]() Victoria Ferreira
Hi! My name is Victoria Ferreira and I am a 4th year undergraduate student pursuing my Honours Specialization in Psychology. I was drawn to the Grahn Lab because the research conducted here encompasses two of my passions: psychology and the arts. I developed a love for the arts at a young age when I began training in dance at the age of 3 and continued on until I was 18. I also had the privilege of attending a high school for the performing arts where I was able to pursue my passion for dance while exploring other areas such as music, drama, and the visual arts. This year I am looking forward to pursuing my thesis project where I will be investigating how music learning and performance can be optimized through different practice scheduling strategies. ![]() Sarah Sequeira
I'm a 4th year undergraduate student, completing my Honours Specialization in Psychology (B.Sc.) and currently working on my thesis at the Grahn Lab, with co-supervision by Dr. Grahn, Dr. Vanden Bosch der Nederlanden and Dr. Swaminathan. I'm looking to explore the relationship between specific acoustic features of music and anxiety levels. In particular, my research aims to experimentally manipulate tempo and mode in musical stimuli and assess whether these differences are associated with changes in participant-reported levels of state and trait anxiety pre-/post-musical listening. I was drawn to the Grahn Lab due to my personal background with music; from playing the tenor horn at the age of 10, to teaching myself guitar and piano as a teenager, and of course, listening to music almost everywhere I go, I personally have experienced the therapeutic effects of this art form in both practice and appreciation, and I'm super passionate about exploring these factors empirically through my research! ![]() Prisca Hsu
Hi, I am a 4th-year student pursuing an Honors Specialization in Neuroscience. Music has been an important part of my life as an amateur pianist. Naturally, I joined the Grahn Lab to apply my music and science background in a meaningful way. The translational aspect of music cognition has always excited me, and I have been involved in gait and beat perception/production research in the lab. I worked on analyzing BAT data across healthy younger, older adults and people with Parkinson's Disease this summer with an NSERC USRA. I am thrilled to be continuing my research on the effects of music training on Parkinson's Disease for my honors thesis this coming school year and I look forward to what the future holds! ![]() Maya Da Silva
Hi, I am a 4th year undergraduate student working towards my honours specialization in psychology BSc. I would describe myself as a creative person, as art and music have always been something I value highly. Science has also always been an interest of mine as I like the idea of creating new knowledge. The Grahn lab caught my attention as I've always thought music to be therapeutic and inspiring, and learning that this can have an impact on health conditions that run in my family, like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, really pulled me in. This is my first experience in a lab, and I hope to continue helping with research after graduation. I'm self-taught in multiple instruments, including the ukulele, and I have a passion for understanding how dreams and memory are impacted by everyday life. ![]() Alex SH Lee
Hi there, I am a 4th year undergraduate pursuing an Honours Specialization in Physiology. My research interest involves studying the effect of feedback and different practice schedules on category induction during musical training. While music (clarinet and violin) has been important in my earlier childhood, I am drawn by the translational potential of my research in the general realm of learning and memory. After all, learning happens everywhere we go! As a blog/media writer and tutor, I am constantly providing feedback for written drafts and teaching other people new skills. In this regard, I always look for ways to be an effective communicator and educator. The research being done at this lab helps me nurture those qualities while taking full advantage of my scientific background. I look forward to exploring a unique field of study and complement my degree with valuable lab skills. ![]() Melissa Ong
Hi! I am a fifth year undergraduate student pursuing a dual degree in Honours Business Administration and Honours Psychology. Ever since taking my first psychology course at Western, I have become interested in investigating and broadening my understanding about how the brain works. Though I have little formal musical training, music plays a large role in my everyday life - I enjoy self-teaching myself guitar, creating new playlists, and discovering new music. I am excited to combine my interests of psychology and music for my thesis project as I explore how music affects gait in healthy individuals. I look forward to learning from the team in the Grahn Lab and am excited to contribute to the wealth of research in the lab! ![]() Duffy Du Hello! I’m a fourth-year undergraduate student pursuing an Honours Specialization in Physiology and Pharmacology. Music has always been a big part of my life. I play a variety of musical instruments such as keyboard, liuqin (a Chinese traditional instrument), clarinet, piano, and many percussion instruments. I have also been a member of the school choir and have trained in dance for over 6 years. I am very excited to have the opportunity to combine my interest with my thesis project to contribute to the field of beat perception research. ![]() Ben Shapiro
Hey! I'm a fourth year undergraduate student pursuing an Honours Specialization in Neuroscience with a Minor in Computer Science. I've always been fascinated in the cognitive sciences, as the brain and mind both create and our realities and allow us to inhabit those realities. I've worked in labs in the fields of sensory/perception neuroscience, cognitive psychology, biomedical engineering, and computational neuroscience. I've also worked in the research department at Interaxon, a company that has developed consumer dry electrode EEG technology that is compatible with multiple form factors (headband, glasses, virtual reality). Aside from science, music has consistently been one of my passions. I've played various musical instruments for 10+ years and have been composing music for 7 years. Being able to marry music with neuroscience and investigate the intricacies of the human relationship with music is what excites me most about the Grahn Lab. ![]() JP Teselink
My name is JP Teselink. I am in my final year of my BSc with an honours specialization in Animal Behavior. After growing up on a dairy farm, my fascination with animal behavior set up my curiosity to further understand the brain and mind. My renewed interests in psychology and neuroscience stem from my other passion in mental health research. My previous experiences at Parkwood Institute for Mental Health utilizing TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) in treatment-resistant depression have increased my curiosity in using this technology as a research tool. Because music is very much incorporated in my life, I felt the Grahn Lab was the perfect opportunity to broaden my understanding as to how the brain perceives and processes auditory stimuli. Using my experience in TMS, my thesis in the Grahn Lab will be investigating motor system fluctuations during auditory rhythms and beat perception. I hope that my experiences in my lab will further enhance my understanding in the neuroscience field and prepare me for a future career in psychiatric research. If I am not reading up on the latest scientific articles, I like to spend my time in the outdoors, (especially on the farm), travelling and going on adventures. Stephanie Reesor
My name is Stephanie Reesor and I am an undergraduate student pursuing a BSc Honours Specialization in Psychology. I became cognizant of my passion for psychology and neuroscience after watching a TED talk in my first year at Western. It was entitled “The Brain in Love,” by biological anthropologist Helen Fisher, and I immediately read all of her books. Since then, I have continued to learn as much as possible about neuroscience and psychology from the biological perspective. I have played flute for thirteen years, and my background in music led me to the Grahn Lab. I am now able to connect my newfound passion for neuroscience with my long-held hobby, music. I have previously worked as a research assistant in the shared lab of Dr. Ossenkopp and Dr. Kavaliers at Western University. I am currently working on my honours thesis with the assistance of Molly Henry, post-doctoral fellow. We are examining the efficacy of the Beat Alignment Test (BAT), commonly used in beat perception tasks. In addition, we plan to create improved prototype models of the BAT. ![]() Jerome Iruthayarajah
Hey! My name is Jerome Iruthayarajah, I am a current fourth year undergraduate student in the Honours specialization in Neuroscience. My interest for music began from early age, and was solidified by playing guitar in a variety of bands during my highschool years. As a student in the neuroscience program, the intricacies of brain are extremely fascinating to me; it seemed only natural to mesh old passions and new ones by completing an honours project with the Grahn lab. Working closely with Tram Nguyen, I will be examining the effects musical mood and arousal can have on our executive functions (e.g. planning, working memory, task flexibility, etc.). Executive functioning is important for so many of daily interactions; and abnormalities in executive functioning are implicated in a variety of neurological disorders. If music can mediate executive functioning, such research could prove very fruitful. ![]() Kristina Waclawik
I am in my fourth year of my B.A., completing an Honors Specialization in Psychology and Minor in History at Huron University College. Although my musical experience is limited to high school clarinet and a Grade 3 in piano, I've often been interested in music's ability to be a powerful modulator of our mood. I am currently conducting my honors thesis under the supervision of Dr. Li-Ann Leow on the effects of music-induced valence on sensorimotor adaptation. Participants listen to low-arousal, positively- or negatively-valenced music while completing a visuomotor adaptation task in which they reach from a start point to a target and adapt their movements to a distortation in the visual feedback of their movements. We are interested in seeing how music affects the adaptation and retention of the adaptation. ![]() Victor Wu
Hi! My name is Victor Wu, I’m a fourth year student in the process of completing my Honors Specialization in Physiology and Pharmacology. I started working in the Grahn lab at the beginning of the school year as a thesis student and am enjoying the experience! I’m working with Dan to investigate how the beat of music can change the excitability of the brain’s motor areas, as well as the timing of this modulation. Music had always been a large part of my life, though I did mostly give up playing the piano and saxophone when I moved to London for university. I’m grateful to work in the Grahn lab, as it has reconnected me with my musical side while giving me the chance to gain a comprehensive research experience. I look forward to my time here and can’t wait to contribute more to the lab! ![]() Paul Armstrong
Hi All!! I’ve recently graduated from Western with a Specialization in Psychology (B.A. Hons.). I completed my fourth year honors thesis project with Dr. Grahn. The project investigated music-dependent memory (MDM), which is the concept that music can serve as an effective retrieval cue for previously learned information. If you’re interested, the entire thesis and supplementary materials (i.e., data, poster, stimuli, etc.) can be viewed here. Since graduating from Western, I've been working as Dr. Grahn's research assistant and lab manager. I will be attending law school at the University of Ottawa this September. |
![]() Isabel Shen
Hi! I'm a 3rd year undergraduate student majoring in Neuroscience. Music has always played a special role in my life. Growing up, I studied and taught violin, played in orchestras, sang in choirs, and performed in senior homes. Dr. Grahn’s lab is the perfect place for me to combine my passions for music and neuroscience while developing essential research skills. This year, I'll be doing my independent study at the lab under the supervision of Karli. My project looks at the role of rhythm memory vs beat perception in commonly used rhythm tasks. ![]() Abigail Hunt
Hi everyone! My name is Abby, and I am in my fourth year in the Honours Specialization in Physiology and Pharmacology program at Western. Although I cannot play any musical instruments myself, I have always enjoyed going to concerts and listening to music any chance I get. I am excited to pursue my honours thesis at the Music and Neuroscience lab alongside Dr. Jessica Grahn. I look forward to learning from Dr. Grahn and my fellow lab members as we progress through the research on various rhythmic abilities while also exploring tDCS. ![]() Sofia Espinoza
Hi! I’m Sofia, a 4th year undergraduate student in the Honours Specialization in Psychology B.Sc. program here at Western. In the future I hope to pursue a career in Clinical Psychology as my main interests lie in psychiatric disorders as well as cognitive neuroscience. I have always been interested in how music affects cognition, specifically mood and mental states which is what has drawn me to the Grahn Lab. I am excited to learn and gain further experience under the guidance of Dr. Grahn and other lab members! ![]() Eastyn Klages
I’m Eastyn, a 4th year undergraduate student taking in an Honours Specialization is Psychology, hoping to pursue a graduate degree in Counselling Psychology. Outside of that, I enjoy horseback riding as well as playing piano and guitar! I’m happy to be part of such an interesting lab that incorporates some of my academic interests and extracurricular activities! I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to contribute to and learn from the Grahn lab! ![]() River Hua
Hey, I'm River! I'm in my fourth year of undergrad and am currently pursuing an Honours Specialization BA degree in Psychology with a minor in Spanish. Growing up, I have been blessed with many great opportunities in music. From being taught piano, guitar, and vocals at a young age, to participating in stage band performances at national music festivals, I guess fate would have it that I would eventually end up writing my honours thesis here at Grahn Lab where my passions for psychology and music intersect. My honours thesis project aims to disentangle brain areas that are responsible for different rhythm tasks through tCDS - a technology that I've always been so eager to explore! Something interesting that I've noticed is that as I get older, the significance of music continually reveals itself to me in new dimensions. As an art form that connects, inspires, and enhances the experience of experiences through a harmonious sequencing of sounds, music is truly a gift that the universe has allowed us to indulge in, and I am so incredibly grateful to be part of a community that is involved in researching such a fascinating phenomenon. ![]() Sophia Klassen
Hi! I am a fourth-year undergraduate student pursuing an Honours Specialization in Psychology (B.Sc) with a minor in biology. Music has always been a large part of my life as I grew up playing the piano. My appreciation for music combined with my interest in psychology and neuroscience drove me to join Dr. Grahn’s lab. I am excited to further my education by teasing apart the different brain areas important for different types of rhythm tasks for my independent study. Working in the Grahn lab, I am thankful to have this opportunity to gain valuable research experience in topics I am passionate about. ![]() Ethan McNaughton
I am a fourth-year undergraduate student completing an Honours Specialization in Neuroscience. I have been involved in academic research throughout my university career, and am excited to join the Grahn Lab for my Honours Thesis project. Supervised by PhD students Josh Hoddinott and Marina Emerick, I will be investigating the ability of functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (or fNIRS) to replicate fMRI findings on the neural response to beat perception. In addition to my fascination with the field of neuroscience, I have a love of playing various instruments (though not particularly well). I am looking forward to combining these passions and working with all of the like-minded people in this lab. ![]() Crystal Lee
Hi there! My name is Crystal and I’m currently in my fourth year of the Medical Sciences program, doing an Honours Specialization in Physiology and Pharmacology. With the supervision and guidance of Dr. Grahn and Rebekka Lagacé-Cusiac, I am working on my thesis project which explores the relationship between temporal ratio perception and beat perception. I am interested in seeing if this relationship can provide insight into the various factors that contribute to the individual differences in beat perception. I was initially drawn to the work that Dr. Grahn and the lab members have done as it pertains to music learning and how our neurophysiology is involved in these complex processes. As someone who learnt how to play the piano in my childhood, I have always been curious at how we’re able to build upon our skills. Especially through continuing my program in physiology, I have become more curious about the functions of our bodily systems, and in this case, the brain, and how these functions translate to our everyday tasks and skills. Outside of the lab and classroom, my interests range from graphic designing to student advocacy on campus. I look forward to working with the lab to enhance my understanding of beat perception and possibly translate my findings into future studies done at this lab and beyond. ![]() Carmen Wong
Hi! I’m a 4th year undergraduate student pursuing an Honours Specialization in Psychology. Music plays a big role in everyone’s lives and can have so many positive implications that have still yet to be understood. I am interested in seeing how music can influence our cognition and behaviour. More specifically, I will be looking at how certain practice schedules can help with memorization and learning for musicians. I am deeply honoured to be able to have this opportunity to work with Dr. Grahn and the rest of her research team. I look forward to learning and contributing to this unique field of study! ![]() Jai Ravipati
Hi! I am in my final year of my undergrad for Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. I enjoy hiking and listening to Mariah Carey! I am passionate about ageing and working with older adults. I'm specifically interested in understanding whether music could be used as an intervention to preserve cognitive function or thwart cognitive decline in older adults. ![]() Milina Capoccitti
Hi! I am a fifth-year undergraduate student pursuing a Honours Specialization Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Music has always been a passion of mine as I have played multiple instruments throughout my life, I also have always been passionate about how the mind works and psychology. The research done at Grahn lab gives me the opportunity to combine two of my passions and understand how they interact. Last year I conducted research for the city of London to better understand diversity and inclusion issues in the community, but this year I am excited to increase my research experience and do it in a more scientific setting. ![]() Michael Wang
Hello, I'm a fourth year undergraduate student currently pursuing a honours specialization in Neuroscience. I have always had a strong interest in neuroscience since I was young, wanting to learn more about how the brain functions. I have also had a strong love for music since I was young and I've been a part of various bands growing up including the marching band at Western which I am currently a member of. I'm excited for the opportunity to combine my interests in both music and neuroscience in the Grahn lab and to work on my thesis which is looking at how motor areas contribute to beat perception. ![]() Xin Qi (Cynthia)
Hi there! My name is Cynthia, and I am a fourth year undergraduate student at Western University completing an honours specialization in physiology. After graduation, I aspire to pursue a career in healthcare to allow my passion for science and helping others to align. I love combining various interests of mine, so given the opportunity to combine my love for music and new-found appreciation for computer programming with my academic field of study truly motivates and excites me. I am classically trained in piano and am fascinated by how external factors can drastically affect the ability to perceive music. I am very grateful to be given the opportunity to work with Dr. Grahn and the rest of her team and look forward to contributing to the lab’s research endeavours! Maya Gantar
I am a fourth year undergraduate student working towards an Honours Specialization in Neuroscience. For my thesis, I was able to combine my love for the brain and music by researching how individuals with dyslexia track song versus speech and how they use compensatory strategies, particularly rhythm skills, to improve their reading comprehension. We are using electroencephalography to examine how well the brains of those with dyslexia track sound waves. We are also observing various behavioral measures, such as phonological processing and rhythmic skills. ![]() Justine Czajka
My name is Justine Czajka and I am in the fourth year of my BSc with an honours specialization in Psychology and a major in Physiology. I've been entranced by Neuroscience ever since I read the Special Brain Edition of the National Geographic. I did my Scholar's Elective project in the Schmid lab in my second year, and stayed there for my third year as a work study student. I am now working on my thesis in the Grahn lab. I will be investigating motor system fluctuations during beat perception using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). I hope to combine my musical background and neuroscience experience for an ideal learning environment. When I am not in the lab, you may see me performing in the London Polish Folk Dance group. ![]() Garrett Myles
My name is Garrett Myles and I am currently an Honours Thesis student in the Grahn lab, pursuing my BSc Honours Specialization in Psychology. It wasn't until coming to Western that I found a passion for the study of neuroscience, and being an avid music listener, I felt the Grahn lab would be a great opportunity to get involved with. I find it extremely interesting that music and lyrics can be so easily recalled, and would love to explore how this phenomena applies to clinical populations such as individuals with Alzheimer's disease. The mind is such a vast entity to study, and I find it extremely interesting to approach this topic of the brain and neuroscience through a musical perspective. I look forward to the opportunities that are to come this year! ![]() Daphne Hui
Hi this past year I completed my Honours thesis project focusing on the effects of subjective enjoyment on gait. In particular, focusing on ideal music to use for a music-based physical therapy for the Parkinsonian gait. I just completed by undergrad with an honors specialization in Physiology and Pharmacology. I was particularly interested in working in the Grahn Lab due to my interests in dance and music. My interest in physiology includes the integration of the neurological control of the motor system. This summer I will continue in the Grahn Lab to help with other gait studies. ![]() Sean Gilmore
My name is Sean Gilmore and I am a graduate of Western University, Psychology and philosophy program. I have been working in the Grahn lab since February 2015, and completed my Honors thesis project here in 2015/16. Since my initial arrival I have had the privilege of working with Tram Nguyen in her investigation of the differences in audiovisual beat perception between dancers and musicians, as well as Dan Cameron's project on the difference between human and monkeys in their neural entrainment to a beat. These projects have provided me with a diverse amount of training with EEG systems and Optotrak Certus (motion capture technology). My honours thesis project consisted of a functional connectivity analysis of cortical regions active during beat perception, which was supervised by Dr. Molly Henry. ![]() Frank Tran
My name is Frank Tran and I am a fourth year undergraduate student in Physiology. I am working together with Li-Ann investigating the roles of the supplementary motor areas and the cerebellum in absolute timing. I have always had a passion for music and understand the importance rhythms and timing in it. As a dancer knowing when and which beats to hit allows me to coordinate my movements accordingly to flow intricately with the music. I hope to learn a lot from this opportunity and contribute what I can to the lab. ![]() Angela Marti Marca
Hi! My name is Angela Marti Marca and I am a fourth year undergraduate thesis student currently studying an Honours Specialization B.Sc. in Psychology and Neuroscience. A musician from a very young age I have always been intrigued by the influence of music on the human mind. As Walter Annenberg once said “The greatest happiness comes from being vitally interested in something that excites all your energies” and Dr. Grahn’s research has drawn me to the lab since day one. I am currently conducting my thesis on the effects of musical mood and arousal on visual attention, in the hopes of further understanding the complex effects of the perceptual properties of music on cognition. I hope to continue to grow and learn amongst the researchers of our lab and hope to one day, myself, contribute to this growing field of research. ![]() Heather Khey Beldman
I'm a fourth year undergraduate student in the Hon. Spec. Physiology & Psychology program at the University of Western Ontario. Under Dr. Grahn's supervision, I will be working on a thesis project that investigates the multi-modal (auditory, visual, and tactile) nature of beat perception and synchronization (BPS). Click here for more information on my project. I'm mainly interested in the field of Neuroscience, being equally fascinated by the workings of the brain and mind. ![]() Felicia Zhang
Together with Li-Ann Leow I examined the rewarding properties of music and sensorimotor adaptation. ![]() Katelyn Barnes
I’m completing the fourth year of my Honours Specialization in Psychology and have the pleasure of conducting my honours thesis on multi-modal beat perception with Dr. Grahn. My research interests include beat perception, social cognitive neuroscience (specifically stereotypes and social prejudice), and the effects of oxytocin on trust and relationships in humans. ![]() David Prete
The past year I completed an undergraduate honours thesis in the Grahn lab. For my thesis looked at the association between enjoyment of music and the desire to move to music under the supervision of Molly Henry and Daniel Cameron. I have been part of the Grahn lab for several years working on various projects examining beat perception, music perception and how we move to music. I have always loved music. I was a huge band geek in high school, and always interested in neuroscience. Being a part of the lab gave me the opportunity to combine these interests. The skills I have learned in the lab have helped me pursue a career in research as I continue to graduate studies in the fall. ![]() Karen Stoskopf
Hi! I am a fourth year honours thesis student working towards my Bachelor of Science with an Honours Specialization in Physiology and Psychology. I was interested in doing research in the Grahn lab because it bridges the physiological and psychological aspects of my degree. By combining this with music I think you get an exciting and intriguing research topic! My thesis project is to investigate potential mechanisms for musical stream segregation, in other words to better understand how the brain is capable of separating multiple streams of music playing at once. More specifically, I will be looking at the effects of familiarity on musical stream segregation. ![]() Steve Shaw
After completing my honors thesis in the Grahn Lab last year during my first BSc (Hon Spec in Animal Behaviour), I was fortunate enough to stay in the lab as an NSERC USRA during the 2013 summer. The two main things I research are: how individuals perceive volume and pitch changes in metric rhythms and using TMS to investigate the involvement of the supplementary motor area in rhythm and beat perception. Now, back at Western finishing a second BSc (Hon Double Major in Genetics and Psychology), I’m glad I am able to keep working with Dr. Grahn and the great folks in the Grahn Lab! ![]() Sonam Maghera
Hi all! My name is Sonam and I am a fourth year honors student completing my BMSc, Honors Specialization in Physiology. Having limited experience learning about the brain, I gravitated towards pursuing an honors thesis in Dr. Grahn's lab. The combination of how music and the mind work together is truly interesting, especially since very little is known about this field. My project is looking to determine beat perception in primate species. Can non-human primates detect the underlying beat in a rhythm, or is this ability uniquely human? You can find my thesis here. When I'm not working in the lab or on school work, you can find me with a camera around my neck, walking around campus! ![]() Rebecca Woelfle
Hello! I am a recent graduate of the University of Western Ontario, with a Bachelor of Science, Honours Specialization in Biology. This past year, I completed an honours thesis project under Dr. Grahn’s supervision, and examined the inter-hemispheric transmission times of visual and auditory modalities in musicians and non-musicians. My future prospects include obtaining a M. Sc., particularly for research in neuroscience. Some of my interests include skiing, travelling, and of course, music. ![]() Ashley Perl
I completed my Honors thesis, "Who's got the rhythm?: Individual differences in rhythmic ability," last year with Dr. Grahn. To specify, the thesis project looked at what factors may contribute to someone having a sense of rhythm. The project can be viewed here. I am returning to London for the Fall semester and wanted to continue working with Dr. Grahn in the lab. Some interests outside of school include snowboarding, SCUBA diving (certified PADI Advanced Open Water Diver), travelling to new places, and music (naturally). |