Hanne Mette Ochsner Ridder

Hanne Mette Ochsner Ridder is a Professor at Aalborg University's Department of Communication and Psychology, within The Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities. Her work focuses on music therapy, particularly in dementia care and person-attuned musical interactions (PAMI). She leads international PhD programs in music therapy and has pioneered research on music's role in gerontology and neurodisability.

Her research interests include:

• Music therapy applications in dementia care
• Psychosocial needs of individuals with neurodisabilities
• Music-based interventions for aging populations
• Therapeutic singing techniques

Awards:

• Folkeoplysningens Pris 2024 (Research & Innovation)
• Ridderkorset af Dannebrogordenen (2023)
• EMTC Award 2019 (International Music Therapy Recognition)

She supervises 12 PhD students and has conducted over 30 projects funded by institutions like Velux Foundation and Beckett Fonden. Her work emphasizes ethical clinical supervision and caregiver training in music therapy.

Key initiatives include the Ridderkor dementia choirs and PAMI quality initiatives in nursing homes. She collaborates with international networks to advance music therapy as a sustainable development solution (UN SDG 3: Health & Well-being).