Pioneer Academics’ Post

Music matters. Culture matters. The intradisciplinary humanities matter. They combine to develop critical and creative thinking skills, along with enhanced cognitive function necessary to foster the next generation of leaders & creators in all disciplines. To be truly effective, STEM must be STEAM and receive adequate public sector funding. https://lnkd.in/gdwg9Mh5

Same ideas + different day = same results — that’s not innovating. 👉 If you want real progress, you need to: - dig into what's possible - spark your own imagination, and - embrace new approaches. My passion for creativity and innovative solutions doesn't start and end with playing and performing music.🎶 In my swing band, we work as a team to create unique and unforgettable experiences for our audiences. This means making space for improvised solos and harmonizing for emotion and impact. 🎹 As the pianist, I play a crucial role: - providing the harmonic framework for the whole ensemble - supporting rhythmic stability and drive (I love swinging hard!) - laying down important voicings and texture - bridging band sections, adapting roles, driving melodies, and cuing transitions in dynamics or tempo I integrate this experience into my work as a higher education consultant. Actually - it's rather difficult to separate these aspects of my life. This is why I ❤️ working with teams to harness their creativity and spark imagination. Innovation thrives in collaborative environments. Every strategy I develop and every solution I propose is designed to improve outcomes and better support students.📈 For me, it’s not just about making higher education more effective and efficient; it's about ensuring it is also truly inspiring and impactful.🎓✨ "Jazz is not just music, it's a way of life." – Nina Simone 💫🎷What fuels your innovation and creativity? Photo: Ladies Must Swing, based in Madison, WI - an 18-piece, all-female, 1940s era big band. Here we're swinging at a hangar dance (complete with 1940s garb), and behind us, you can see a 1940s plane called "FiFi." P.S. If you like my posts, follow me for more! #careerservicestransformation #highered #bigbandjazz

Ahead of the Summer music festivals start! ;) Why some songs make us feel like dancing The most dance-inducing rhythms are neither too predictable nor too surprising. An intermediate amount of syncopations — rhythmic patterns that occur when unexpected beats are emphasized — was the sweet spot for making 60 study participants want to dance. Brain activity measurements suggest that this ‘groove experience’ is triggered by the dorsal auditory pathway, which connects the auditory-information-processing region with movement areas. #music #dance #brain #feel #grooveexperience https://lnkd.in/dZUEz4cb

Silicon Forest, Tech Summit - Harnessing the Power of Diversity This past Saturday, I had the privilege of listening to many brilliant minds. It was the kind of event where you heard something and IMMEDIATELY an idea came to mind, or you thought of someone who could benefit from what you had just heard. (Forever, I have my laptop with me to follow those rabbit holes!) I have seen that there are many posts on this event, and so I will not serve you with a summary of the event, but rather 1) pass on four of the powerful sentiments that were shared during the conversation on education, 2) share a resource I learned about at the event and 3) give thanks to the speakers, moderators, and organizers of the event. I highly recommend connecting with PDXWIT (who led me to this event) in whatever capacity feels best to you. So, first of all... The Keynote Event: a conversation about Education, Speakers: Dr. Osibanjo (Chief of Staff SPTD Intel), Dr. Bennings (President of Portland Community College), Dr. Kelly (President of University of Portland), and Dr. Williams (Deputy Superintendent ODE) The speakers were bold, thoughtful and kind. On the stage and off the stage. When asked what to do in a situation where some may not think that you should be where you are, the answer was: "Word hard. And prove yourself by the quality of your work." Say to yourself: "I deserve to be at the table." In response to how to push society more in the direction of diversity and inclusion, a speaker gave 4B's to reflect on --> -Believe in your capacity to do good and right -remove Barriers -Belonging, who you are adds value -Broadcasting students' voices FINALLY, to remember that things and times and life is challenging, but not to step down or back. Remember, "You are a person of value." The final thoughts of the panel were to reflect on: "What can we do to make Portland and the world a better place?" and to think about how we can lend a shoulder to those who need it, those whom we could possibly mentor when we are inside that door. Now the idea (already in practice) to share: This idea is aligned with supporting the final B (Broadcasting students' voices). There is a program which Romanna Flores spoke to me about later on at the event which supports students who may have a musical background to connect to STEM. Information about this program can be found here: mariachisteam.com (think mariachi meets Math! and more!) Thank you, thank you, thank you again to the organizers of this event. Thank you, thank you, to the speakers. And, thank you, thank you, thank you to the attendees...the mood of this event was engaging, every step of the way.

The Australian Government Department of Education has 46 Regional University Study Hubs across Australia (https://lnkd.in/gWWV_WJA). The story below illustrates how these Hubs can be used by PhD students to undertake research in regional Australia and remain connected to peers. With the National Industry PhD Program encouraging more R&D projects within regional Australia, I believe there are potential strong synergies here with the Regional University Study Hubs. #universities #universitycollaboration #researchanddevelopment #phdopportunities #regionalaustralia #highereducation

Excited to share that my first solo authored academic publication titled "Front row or backstage? Evidence on concert ticket preferences from a discrete choice experiment" is out today in the Journal of Cultural Economics. As the title suggests, this study examines consumer preferences for concert tickets and seeks to identify the drivers of consumer ticket choices. Using data from a discrete choice experiment, coupled with structural demand estimation techniques, I identify distinct patterns in consumer preferences and provide novel evidence about the demand for different ticket characteristics. The results of this study shed new light on the drivers of consumer choice in the concert industry may be of use to musicians wishing to improve their ticket practices. https://lnkd.in/gkAmN-CX Association for Cultural Economics International

The Power of Music and Performing Arts in Education In a rapidly evolving world, the importance of a well-rounded education has never been more crucial. Music and the Performing Arts play a vital role in developing key life skills that transcend the stage and classroom, shaping confident, creative, and collaborative individuals. Music and drama foster creative thinking and innovation, empowering students to approach challenges with fresh perspectives - skills that are invaluable in today’s global workforce. These disciplines also teach collaboration and communication, encouraging students to work as part of a team, communicate effectively, and adapt in real time. Such qualities are essential for success in any career path. Moreover, the process of preparing for a performance instils resilience and confidence: students learn the value of discipline and perseverance, which helps them face academic and personal challenges head-on. The Performing Arts contribute not only to academic growth but also emotional development, enhancing students’ emotional intelligence and mental well-being. Let’s continue to advocate for the Performing Arts in education, nurturing the next generation of innovators, leaders, and change-makers! #Education #PerformingArts #MusicEducation #Creativity #Leadership #EdTech #Wellbeing

And so the story began… As a young child I was aware of being surrounded by sound. Not necessarily music, but sound in all its forms. Conversations, laughter, shouting, whispering, kitchen pots and pans, hoovering, dogs barking, cars passing, horns beeping, phones ringing, birds tweeting. The world was a musical array of sound combinations and it amazed me. Our world is a sound world. A universe that ignites emotions, brings back memories and stills the heart. Sound is music and music is sound. As the years progressed I remember having a particular fondness for certain sounds. My granddad’s whistling, my friends knocking on my front door and gentle sounds of the page turns as mammy read a story. For those of you who do not yet know me, I am Dr Denise. Since I was very young, I dreamed of becoming a teacher. I wanted to make a difference in the lives of as many children as possible. I wanted to inspire them, teach them, nurture and support them, and help them become the very best they could ever be. I became a teacher and taught thousands of children over the years. Many typical children, but most with special/additional needs. You see, I grew up with my uncle Dessie. He was the most incredible human being EVER. He was kind, funny, non-judgmental, loving, and embraced life to the full. He had Down syndrome, but that did not define him. He taught me more about life than any institution ever did. After 30 plus years of teaching and managing educational establishments, I realised that I wanted to create global impact. I became frustrated with the education systems. And so, I decided to immerse myself in research. I have a PhD in special education and music after I spending a long number of years researching, inventing and developing Conductology. This new invention now brings hope, opportunity, innovative and inclusivity to our world’s most vulnerable people. The journey started a long time ago and now we have our universal system. Conductology, where NOW EVERYONE can play! #conductology #downsyndrome #music #musiced #inspirational #teaching #specialneeds #education #family #universal #vulnerable #innovation #globalimpact #musictherapy #musicforall #everyonecanplay #love #resilience

"Her, little, voice" Music Therapy with nonverbal children with ASD How can Music Therapy help nonverbal children who find it difficult or impossible to talk? This was central focus of my final research project when I was studying to be a Music Therapist. Moved by the words of a mother who was longing to hear the voice of her child, I wanted to find out how you could help children with ASD who were struggling to develop some basic, expressive language. I studied all the different ways I could find that had been officially developed and researched to try to discover which were the most effective. The results surprised me... What is certain is that music, even when not used by a trained therapist, is going to help. It's going to help because even just listening to music, never mind participating in it, lights up all the regions of the brain https://lnkd.in/gnpNaczc It's also going to help because one of the first things it helps us all with is regulating the nervous system. Once the brain has switched to the parasympathetic (rest and recuperate) rather than sympathetic system (fight or flight) then whatever you are trying to do therapeutically gets easier. It's surely no coincidence that clients I treat with brain injury who are sometimes deemed 'not settled enough' to take part in the session - if we can just get the music started then - wow - 20 minutes later we can be having a bit of conversation about 80s bands. I investigated 5 different ways a Music Therapist can help children to develop speech. I fully expected that the more rigorous, repetitive methods such as the specially-adapted version of melodic intonation therapy might be the most effective. However, in reality, I found (especially once I was able to do clinical work myself) that methods that involve rigour and doing things that the child is not necessarily that keen to do, are not easy to administer especially to younger children. In the final analysis, I deduced that the most effective way to help a child with speech is to MIX several methods together and serve them in a format that feels to a child like a fun, largely client-led music session with a big emphasis on SINGING. If you can sing the words then you will soon be able to say them! Yes, a little bit of melodic intonation therapy but research has shown how much psychodynamic music therapy helps too - improvisation, running commentary songs - and pre-composed music with the wonderful gap-leaving technique that comes so instinctively, especially to parents. "Twinkle, twinkle, little..." The creating of a relaxed, interactive dynamic between client and therapist where seeds are sown and watered each week, and then we encourage the words to emerge but without any feeling of pressure or coercion. www.thisinnervoice.com

Teaching Music In School And Music History: Possibilities Of Integration This essay discusses the possibility of incorporating aspects of classical music and music history into basic education. It presents elements of the lives and works of two composers from the classical music tradition, Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven, bridging them with everyday life and proposing their integration into pedagogical-musical work. In this regard, biographical and compositional aspects of both composers are mentioned, whose historical and musicological importance can contribute to the development of music education in basic education. It also reports on a workshop aimed at teacher training, offered to teachers from the Municipal Education Network of Porto Alegre (Rio Grande do Sul), in which activities were developed, starting from Bach and Beethoven, with the purpose of uniting classical music and music history in pedagogical plans within school settings. As a result, it was observed that there are many possibilities for introducing biographical elements of composers, which can enhance and underpin the teaching and learning of music in schools. https://lnkd.in/dy8eakSp