معرفی
Dr. Maria Witek is an Associate Professor at the Department of Music, University of Birmingham. Her research focuses on the psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and philosophy of musical experience, particularly rhythm, timing, emotion, and body-movement. She leads the Witek Lab, investigating how dance music experiences emerge from interactions between neural, social, and embodied processes. Notable projects include studying rhythmic skill in DJs (funded by AHRC) and ensemble synchronization in the ARME project (EPSRC-funded). She holds a DPhil from Oxford and previously worked at Aarhus University. Her methods span experimental psychology, neuroimaging, and participatory action research.
- Education: BA Musicology (Oslo, 2006), MA Music Psychology (Sheffield, 2008), DPhil Music (Oxford, 2013)
Research interests include groove theory, disabled DJs' embodied timing, and the social dynamics of music-making. She collaborates with artists and tech companies like Drake Music and Native Instruments to develop inclusive musical tools.
Articles focus on rhythmic entrainment, neurodiverse musical practices, and the neural basis of musical pleasure. Current grants include work on disability-inclusive DJ practices and virtual ensemble training systems.
