Susan K. Rankin

Susan K. Rankin serves as Professor of Medieval Music at the University of Cambridge, a position she has held continuously since 2006 following progressive academic appointments including Reader in Medieval Music (1999-2006), University Lecturer (1993-1998), University Assistant Lecturer (1990-1993), Special College Lecturer at Emmanuel College (1984-1990), and Research Fellow at Emmanuel College, Cambridge (1981-1984).

Her research expertise centers on Musicology with specialized focus on Medieval Music traditions, particularly liturgical drama, chant practices, Carolingian musical heritage, Winchester polyphony, and the conceptualization of celestial harmonies in early medieval thought. Rankin's scholarly approach combines rigorous manuscript analysis with contextual liturgical studies, examining how musical practices reflected theological and cosmological frameworks of the period.

Analysis of her publication trajectory reveals consistent engagement with primary sources from 9th-12th century Europe, demonstrating particular mastery in interpreting liturgical manuscripts from Winchester, St. Gallen, and Venetian repositories. Her work bridges musicological analysis with historical, theological, and codicological perspectives, establishing significant connections between musical notation systems and contemporary intellectual currents.

Her distinguished contributions have been recognized through prestigious honors:

• Member of Academia Europaea (2007)
• Dent Medal of the Royal Musical Association (1995)
• Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung Research Fellowship at Musikwissenschaftliches Institut, Erlangen (1993)

No documented information is available regarding graduate student supervision or competitively awarded research grants in the provided sources. Similarly, details about current laboratory affiliations, research teams, or collaborative projects cannot be verified from the available documentation.