About
Dr Jennifer Halton serves as Director, International (Associate Dean) at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), part of Edith Cowan University. Currently on leave, she leads WAAPA's international strategy, building partnerships that foster curriculum internationalization, cross-border collaboration, and multicultural student engagement. With a PhD in Musicology focused on music and visual culture in early modern Europe, particularly the cultural politics of Renaissance Italian festivals, she has extensive experience in universities across Ireland, the UK, and Australia.
Dr Halton's educational background includes:
- Doctor of Philosophy, Ireland, 2018
- Master of Literature, Ireland, 2012
- Master of Arts, Ireland, 2008
- Bachelor of Arts - Double Honours, Ireland, 2007
- Bachelor of Music, Ireland, 2005
Her research spans cultural musicology, examining the socio-cultural context of music-making with interdisciplinary approaches that bridge film studies, cultural studies, emotion theory, visual culture, critical theory, philosophy, art history, technology, and design. She is particularly interested in exploring the liminality and intersectionality of art, research, and social innovation.
Dr Halton founded and serves as Creative Director of The Metamorphosis Project: Art as Research, Research as Art, which seeks to break down research silos and explore interdisciplinary collaboration across academia, industry, and the arts. She is also Editor-in-Chief of The Metamorphosis Project Journal (TMPJ), launched in November 2024. Her scholarly work demonstrates consistent focus on early modern Italian festivals, particularly 16th century Florentine celebrations and Medici cultural politics, with additional interests in the phenomenology of performance and historically informed performance practices.
Her notable achievements include:
- Irish Research Council New Foundations Award (2016) for the Metamorphosis Project
- Irish Research Council Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship (2012)
- European Science Fund Early Researchers Grant (2012)
- Maynooth University John and Pat Hume Postgraduate Research Scholarship (2010)
- Maynooth University Postgraduate Scholarship (2007)
- Maynooth University Bursary for Academic Excellence (2007)
Dr Halton contributes to the academic community through board positions with Regional Arts Western Australia and the Centre for Entrepreneurial Research and Innovation. Her work bridges academic research with practical applications in business strategy and governance, reflecting her diverse background and commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration.
She actively promotes international engagement in higher education and has developed significant partnerships that enhance the global perspective of performing arts education at WAAPA. Her leadership in international strategy continues to shape the institution's approach to cross-cultural exchange and collaborative projects.
