Research Professor of Sonic Communication
Research Program: Music Cognition and Action

Biography

I am researcher and a composer/improviser. My early research was in molecular cell biology, and since 1989 I have also been involved in musicology, particularly with reference to improvisation. Since 2007 my research focus has turned to music cognition,  and music computation (both analytic and generative). I also have extensive experience as an institution-builder, being a CEO for 18 years, first of the Heart Research Institute, Sydney (an autonomous body of which I was foundation director), and then of the University of Canberra, of which I was Vice-Chancellor and President. I founded the creative ensemble LYSIS in the UK, and it continues as austraLYSIS here in Australia. Our work is concerned with the creation of sound, text and intermedia work, and it operates internationally. My brief biography is available on Wikipedia, and see austraLYSIS for fuller information about my creative work.

Qualifications and Honours

• BA, University of Cambridge

• MA, University of Cambridge

• PhD, University of Cambridge

• DSc, Brunel University (higher doctorate in science)

• DLitt, Brunel University (higher doctorate in humanities)

• Australian Centenary Medal, 2002

• FAICD (fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors)

• FAHA (fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities)

Roles

• Researcher

• PhD supervisor 

• Member of the University Research Committee

• Founder and Artistic Director, austraLYSIS

• Composer/improviser

Publications: a link to my Google Scholar Profile is at the bottom of this page. Here are my ERA-related creative outputs since 2010. Other creative activities are covered on the austraLYSIS web site.