Justin J. West

Justin J. West is an Assistant Professor of Music and Human Learning at The University of Texas at Austin's Sarah and Ernest Butler School of Music. He previously held positions at LSU, where he received the 2021 Rising Faculty Research Award. His research focuses on music teacher professional development (PD), organizational resilience in music programs, and arts education policy. West teaches courses on children’s musical development, qualitative research, and arts education law.

Educations:

• Ph.D. in Music Education, University of North Texas
• M.A. in Music Education, Columbia University
• B.M. in Music Education, Lamar University

Research Interests: Music teacher learning trajectories, pandemic-era PD adaptations, policy frameworks for arts education, and organizational strategies for rebuilding music programs. He employs qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods approaches to study how PD impacts teacher motivation and institutional sustainability.

Articles Trends: His recent work analyzes post-pandemic PD innovations, comparative studies between music and non-music teacher practices, and longitudinal evaluations of certification pathways. Themes emphasize system-level coordination, crisis-driven educational changes, and evidence-based policy design.

Awards:

• 2021 Rising Faculty Research Award (LSU)
• Sandra E. New Endowed Professorship Fellowship
• Butler School of Music Endowment Fellowship

Advising & Grants: Recipient of UT Austin’s Office of the Vice President for Research grants. Leads PD design initiatives for Louisiana and Texas music teachers. Active in the Society for Music Teacher Education’s professional development working group.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with editorial boards of Journal of Research in Music Education and International Journal of Research in Choral Singing. Coordinates reciprocal peer coaching programs for music educators.