I am Associate Professor of Music Cognition and Computation and leader of the Music Science Lab.

My research focuses on the cognitive and mathematical foundations of music and how these impact on creativity, learning, and wellbeing. This includes:

• cross-cultural music cognition (informed by field experiments)
• cognition and creative implications of familiar and unfamiliar musical rhythms and harmony (including microtonal)
• cognitively informed interfaces and algorithms for composing, performing, and generating music.

I am also a musician, composer, and occasional performer, and have developed several music software applications (including the widely used XronoMorph rhythm generator), and designed and built new musical interfaces in public art, therapeutic, and educational settings.

Academic Employment

• 2025– Associate Professor, School of Humanities and Communication Arts, Western Sydney University.
• 2024–25 Associate Professor and Director of Academic Programs (Music and Music Therapy), School of Humanities and Communication Arts, Western Sydney University.
• 2023–24 Senior Research Fellow, School of Humanities and Communication Arts, Western Sydney University.
• 2020–23 Senior Research Fellow, MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development, Western Sydney University.
• 2018–20 Senior Postdoctoral Research Fellow, MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development, Western Sydney University.
• 2013–18 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development, Western Sydney University.

Education

• 2009–13 PhD, The Open University, UK.
• 2007–09 Masters (Musicology), University of Jyväskylä, Finland.
• 1985–88 Bachelors (Fine Art), Sheffield Hallam University, UK.

Awards and Grants

• 2025–28 $914,548 ARC Discovery Project: Milne (lead investigator), Dean, Schubert, Ingram, Sarvasy, Eerola.
• 2022–23 €12,940 (~$21,000) USIAS, Strasbourg University. Three-month research visit with CNRS Directeur de recherche Moreno Andreatta: Milne 100%.
• 2020–21 $20,000 ARC Transdisciplinary Innovation Grant: Escudero 90%, Milne 10%.
• 2019 $6,500 Inner West Council (Sydney). Rhythmotron (art/music installation) at EDGE Lilyfield, Ashfield, and Balmain: Milne 50%, Taylor 50%.
• 2018–19 $29,739 Department of Family and Community Services, NSW Gov. Health and cognitive benefits of music-making with novel technologies in an aged-care setting: MacRitchie 33%, Milne 33%, Taylor 33%.
• 2017 $17,181 Art Futures Ltd. Rhythmotron (music/art installation) at CoLABS “Art and Science Collide”, Bungarribee Park, Western Sydney: Milne 33%, Taylor 33%, Stanton, 33%.
• 2017–20 $369,000 ARC DECRA: Milne 100%.