Director
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Michael Schutz, Ph.D is the lab’s founding director and a core member of the McMaster Institute for Music and the Mind. Drawing upon his unique background as a professional percussionist (BMA, MM), as well as his training in experimental psychology (MA, PhD), and computer science (BS), he explores core issues of music cognition from new points of view. He enjoys helping students acquire research skills by actively exploring novel topics relevant to psychologists, musicians, and neuroscientists alike. He is co-founder (with Fabrice Marandola) of the Canadian Percussion Network, connecting percussionists from across the country by building bridges between research and performance. For additional information read his biography or view recent TV and radio appearances. For more information on percussion activities (including performing and teaching), visit his youtube channel or his website: www.michaelschutz.com. |
Graduate Students
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Cam Anderson, M.Sc is long-standing member of our lab who is now a fourth-year PhD student exploring changes in musical emotion over historical eras. This project builds on his background in both music cognition and music theory, and will provide a novel look at the complex process of transmitting emotion from composer to performer to listener. He previously completed a Bachelor of Music with a specialization in Music Cognition, working on the Auditory Alarms project. Outside of the lab, Cam spends his free time practicing trombone, composing music, and learning Spanish. |
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Andres Elizondo Lopez is a third-year PhD student working on our Auditory Alarms project. Andy completed their BSc (’21) in Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour specializing in Music Cognition. They have a deep curiosity and appreciation of how we interpret musical qualities, and how we process auditory information from our environment. They have been part of the McMaster University’s Concert Band, Percussion Ensemble, and the Marching Band. Andres is a percussionist, and also plays the piano and the guitar. They are very excited to be able to combine their love of psychology and music in the MAPLE Lab, and to contribute to the music cognition scientific community. |
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Aditi Shukla is a first-year M.Sc student working on the Emotional Piano Project. She recently completed her B.A. in Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, where she specialized in Music Cognition. Her fourth-year thesis project focused on analyzing mode as a musical cue and how expert music theorists perceive mode across different eras. She has been a part of multiple concert bands and plays the flute and lyre. In her free time, when she’s not playing or thinking about music, she often likes to spend her time reading. Aditi is very excited to continue her research with an incredible team and contribute to the field of music cognition. |
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Konrad Swierczek is a PhD candidate working on the Emotional Piano Project. He holds a Bachelor of Music (specialization, Music Cognition) from McMaster University where he studied Jazz Double Bass with Clark Johnston and completed a thesis under the supervision of Matthew Woolhouse. His research focuses on music information retrieval and musical corpus analysis across historical periods. Konrad is an active performer and audio engineer in southern Ontario and is the Digital Media Manager for the Canadian Chopin Society. |
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Connor Wessel is a third-year PhD student on the Auditory Alarms project. He undertook his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Psychology at the University of Plymouth in England. His research focuses on how auditory alarms can be made to be more localisable, and how different levels of urgency can be more discriminable. He recently studied whether newly designed alarms are detrimental to performance on cognitive tasks (and vice versa), and whether digital bike bells can improve the safety and experience of cyclists and pedestrians. As a musician, Connor has played trumpet in Concert band and Orchestra, and has sung Tenor in various choral activities. |
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Jackie Zhou is a second-year MSc student currently working in the MAPLE Lab on the Emotional Piano Project. She has passions in both music and mental health. Growing up, she fell in love with music through playing the piano and violin. This past year, she started working with kids on the autism spectrum, providing IBI and integrating music in their day to day lives. It’s been rewarding for her to get to experience the bridging of both of her interests together. She is excited to continue using her musical background to contribute and work with the amazing team for another year! |
Lab Manager
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Maya Mattar is our lab manager extraordinaire! She recently graduated with a BSc in Integrated Science specialized in Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, completing her undergrad thesis on Auditory Alarms at the MAPLE Lab. Maya grew up learning piano from her dad and now enjoys playing trumpet in the McMaster Concert Band. She is deeply curious about how sound and music interconnect with neural and cognitive processes. An aspiring science communicator, she strives to make research accessible to broad audiences to foster public interest and informed decision-making. She is thrilled to be back at the lab developing her communication skills and supporting the all-star MAPLE Lab team! |
Undergraduate Thesis Students
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Jessica Agbolade (Thesis student) is a fourth-year student majoring in Applied Psychology in Human Behaviour. She discovered her passion for music and performance during her time at a Regional Arts high school, where she specialized in Dramatic Arts. At McMaster University, Jessica continued to nurture her creative interests by participating in local musicals and immersing herself in show tunes. Alongside these pursuits, she is deeply interested in the science of learning and is keen on exploring innovative ways to integrate music into education. Outside of academics, Jessica is also a food and recipe content creator on social media and enjoys shoujo anime. |
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Ben Baker (Thesis student) is a fourth-year student in the Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour program at McMaster University specializing in Music Cognition. His love for everything psychology brought him to McMaster, and his passion for listening to and playing music has found him a home in Music Cognition. In his free time, he plays the piano and the electric guitar and enjoys learning about ancient cultures and history. Ben is interested in researching the connections between music and our emotions. He is excited to start his thesis and be working with the incredible team at the MAPLE Lab for a second year! |
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Julianne Heitelman (Thesis student) is a fourth-year PNB student specializing in music cognition. She grew up playing the piano but has also recently been trying to improve her guitar skills. Julianne is very excited to join the MAPLE lab as a thesis student on the Emotional Piano project and contribute to some of the great research currently happening in the lab. A fun fact about Julianne is that she’s a big animal lover. She spent the summer volunteering with rescue parrots and is also a member of the McMaster Equestrian team! |
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Madeleine Monson (Thesis student) is a fifth-year B. Music student specializing in Music Cognition. She began singing and playing the piano at the age of 5. Since then, she has enjoyed performing in various capacities, including in choir ensembles and as a soloist. Madeleine has also developed a passion for teaching music to children who share her enthusiasm. During her time at McMaster, she has grown increasingly interested in the interconnectedness of music and psychology. Madeleine enjoyed working on the Emotional Piano Project as a QQ student and again throughout the summer as a USRA recipient. As a thesis student, she is excited to continue her work in the MAPLE Lab as she joins the Auditory Alarms Project. |
Undergraduate Research Assistants
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Tatiana Bozovic is a fourth-year Life Sciences student who is also taking a psychology minor. Music has always been a huge part of her life. Her aunt is a classically trained pianist which prompted her to start lessons as well and finish up to level 8 of RCM. Her love for music both listening and sometimes writing has only continued to grow as she has. After taking Psych 2MP3 she was immediately interested in the lab and the work they were doing. Tatiana is incredibly excited to join the MAPLE lab as a QQ student and continue to learn the interesting ways her two passions–music and psychology–intersect. |
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Vineeta Habbu is a third-year student majoring in Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour. With a lifelong passion for Hindustani classical music, which she has been learning from a very young age, music has always been an integral part of her life. She enjoys a diverse range of musical genres, especially pop, R&B, and Hindi music. Her keen interest in both music and the biological and psychological aspects of humans has naturally led her to explore the intersection of music and the human mind. Vineeta is excited to further this exploration by studying reactions to different sounds as part of the Alarms project, which she is joining as a QQ student. A fun fact about her is that she loves spicy food. |
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Emilia Katz is a third-year PNB student specializing in the Mental Health program. “I’ve been passionate about music for as long as I can remember, and I believe music truly can transform one’s mindset. I enjoy singing and making playlists for random moods in my spare time. I’m also a fan of classical music and have recently started exploring jazz. I’m particularly drawn to the MAPLE Lab because of its innovative approach to understanding the intersections between music, cognition, and mental health. I am most excited about contributing to research that explores how music can be used as a therapeutic tool to improve mental health outcomes. A fun fact about me is that I love cooking, but I always try to put a healthy spin on popular dishes (which doesn’t always work out).” |
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Casey Lee is a third-year student in Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, specializing in Music Cognition. Growing up, she played the piano and the alto saxophone in band ensembles, sparking her love for jazz music. She is interested in how people perceive emotions in music. In her free time, she enjoys reading and drinking matcha lattes 🙂 Casey is looking forward to working with everyone in the lab and seeing how she can combine her passion for music and psychology together! |
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Vivian Vuong is a third year Arts and Science student combined in Psychology, Neuroscience and Behavior Background. She has been playing the piano since she was 6 years old and completed up to RCM level 9 examinations and RCM Level 9 History and Harmony. She also volunteers with the RCM branch in her hometown. Today she plays the piano as a hobby, and her favorite songs to learn are from movie soundtracks. She volunteers with McMaster Arts to work with children in underprivileged communities and she hopes to integrate her love for the arts with her interest in psychology. Vivian is most excited about meeting new people in the lab and gaining hands-on experience on a topic that intersects the arts and psychology in interesting and new ways. |
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Julia Zabielska is a third-year Psychology Neuroscience & Behaviour student. “I grew up learning piano and music theory and I was always fascinated by how music felt like its own language in a lot of ways. As a child I was hooked on the golden oldies since my dad would play those songs all the time. Since then, I’ve grown to enjoy a wide variety of different types of music. I’m excited to join the Maple Lab because of the amazing and welcoming environment at the lab. I am also eager to explore and research music cognition which has always been an interest of mine. In my free time I love painting and cooking.” |