Adena Schachner Home Research CV Contact Links

Curriculum Vitae

Education
2006 - present Ph.D. Candidate, Harvard University
  Department of Psychology
Advisors: Dr. Marc Hauser & Dr. Elizabeth Spelke
 
2002 - 2006 B.A., cum laude, Yale University
  Cognitive Science (with distinction)
Research Experience
2007 - presentCognitive Evolution Laboratory
  Harvard University, Department of Psychology
Advisor: Dr. Marc Hauser
 
2007 - present Laboratory for Developmental Studies
  Harvard University, Department of Psychology
Advisor: Dr. Elizabeth Spelke
 
2006 - 2007 Auditory Cognition and Development Lab
  Harvard University, Department of Psychology
Advisor: Dr. Erin Hannon
 
2005 - 2006 Infant Cognition Lab, Research Assistant
  Yale University, Department of Psychology
Advisor: Dr. Karen Wynn
 
2004 - 2006 Comparative Cognition Lab, Project Head
  Yale University, Department of Psychology
Advisors: Dr. Laurie Santos & Dr. Joshua McDermott
Awards & Honors
2008 - 2009NRSA Training Grant
 
2007, 2008, 2009Restricted Funds Research Award, Harvard University
 
2006 - presentGraduate School of Arts and Sciences Award, Harvard University
 
2007, 2008Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Summer Research Award, Harvard University
 
2006 - 2007Harvard Stimson Research Grant
 
2006Honorable Mention, NSF Graduate Fellowship
 
2005 - 2006Mellon Forum Research Fellowship, Berkeley College, Yale University
 
2005Richter Summer Fellowship, Berkeley College, Yale University
Manuscripts
Schachner, A., Brady, T. F., Pepperberg, I., & Hauser, M. (2009). Spontaneous motor entrainment to music in multiple vocal-mimicking species. Current Biology. Paper. Supplement. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2009.03.061
Trehub, S.E., Hannon, E.E., & Schachner, A. (in press). Developmental perspectives on music and affect. In P.N. Juslin & J.A. Sloboda (Eds.), Handbook of music and emotion: Theory, research, applications. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Schachner, A. & Hannon, E. (in preparation). The effect of infant-directed speech on early social preferences.
Presentations
Schachner, A., Brady, T.F., & Hauser, M.D. (2009). Good vocal mimics are also good entrainers: Individual differences suggest a shared mechanism for entrainment and vocal mimicry. Poster presented at the Society for Music Perception and Cognition, Indianapolis, IN. Poster.
Schachner, A.. (2009). Entrainment to music requires vocal mimicry: Evidence from non-human animals and human individual differences. Talk presented at the Berlin Behavioral Biology Symposium, Berlin, Germany.
Schachner, A.. (2008). From infant-directed speech to the origins of dance: At the intersection of music, motor and emotion. Talk presented at the Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA.
Schachner, A., & Hannon, E. (2008). The effect of infant-directed speech on early social preferences. Talk presented at Harvard-Yale Conference on Social Cognitive Development, Cambridge, MA.
Schachner, A., Brady, T. F., Pepperberg, I., & Hauser, M. (2008). Spontaneous entrainment to auditory rhythms in vocal-learning bird species. Poster presented at The Neurosciences and Music III, Montreal, Canada. Poster.
Schachner, A., Brady, T. F., Pepperberg, I., & Hauser, M. (2008). Spontaneous entrainment to auditory rhythms in vocal-mimicking bird species. Talk presented at Music, Language and the Mind, Somerville, MA.
Schachner, A., & Hannon, E. (2007). Infant-directed Behavior Modulates Social Preferences in 5-month-old Infants. Poster presented at the International Conference on Infant Studies, Vancouver, Canada.
Schachner, A., & Hannon, E. (2007). The effects of infant-directed vocalizations on subsequent face preferences. Poster presented at the Cognitive Development Society, Santa Fe, NM. Poster.
Teaching Experience
Spring 2008 Designed and taught weekend class for high school students, How The Mind Works: A Tour of Awesome Findings in Psychology (50 students).
 
2007 - presentTutor in Psychology, Mather House, Harvard University
 
2007 - presentConcentration Advisor, Harvard University
  Served as primary academic advisor for several dozen undergraduates in the Psychology major.
 
Fall 2007 Designed and taught weekend class for high school students, Subliminal influences on your decisions (50 students).
 
Fall 2006 Designed and taught weekend class for high school students, Uncovering Human Nature: Evolution of the Mind and Brain (70 students).
 
2005 - 2006 Cognitive Science Major Advisor, Yale University
  Served as representative of the cognitive science major, advising rising sophomores on their academic choices.
 
2004 - 2005 Splatter! Magazine Writing Tutor, Yale University
  Led writing tutorials for a class of sixth-grade international students
Membership in Professional Organizations
Society for Music Perception and Cognition
Cognitive Development Society
National Honor Society in Psychology (Psi Chi)
Boston Music Research Association
International Society on Infant Studies
Ad-Hoc Reviewer
Cognitive Science Society
Behavioural Processes
PLOS One