Kat Agres

Dr. Kat Agres is an Assistant Professor in Contextual Studies – Music Cognition at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National University of Singapore, and a Research Scientist & founder of the Music Cognition group at A*STAR’s Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC). Her work bridges cognitive science, music technology, and healthcare, focusing on music perception, computational creativity, and music-based MedTech solutions for health and well-being. She holds a PhD in Experimental Psychology from Cornell University and conducted postdoctoral research at Queen Mary University of London, supported by an EU grant.

Her research explores auditory statistical learning, music-brain interfaces (BCIs), and the therapeutic applications of music for special populations. Key grants include NIH and NIMH fellowships. Agres actively collaborates across disciplines, presenting globally and publishing in journals like Cognitive Science and Neural Computing and Applications. Beyond academia, she is a cellist with professional orchestral experience and integrates jazz and rock performance into her creative practice.

Educational Background

• PhD in Experimental Psychology, Cornell University (with minor in Cognitive Science)
• Bachelor’s in Cognitive Psychology & Cello Performance, Carnegie Mellon University
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Queen Mary University of London

Research Interests

• Music cognition mechanisms (e.g., memory, expectation)
• Computational models of creativity and emotion in music
• Music technology for healthcare (e.g., stroke rehabilitation, dementia therapy)
• Music’s role in mental health and social connection

Grants & Awards

• Fellowship from the National Institute of Health (NIH)
• Fellowship from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Labs & Teams

• Founder of the Music Cognition group at IHPC/A*STAR