Schlegel Research Chair in Music Therapy and Aging

POSITION SUMMARY

The Faculty of Music at Wilfrid Laurier University and the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (RIA) invite applications for a faculty appointment at the rank of Associate Professor or Full Professor to hold the Schlegel Research Chair in Music Therapy and Aging. The Schlegel Research Chair (Chair) is tenable for five years and holds the possibility for renewal. It is intended for exceptional scholars who have established careers in music therapy research on aging. The position entails research at the Schlegel Research Institute for Aging, teaching in Music Therapy at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Faculty of Music, and service to the Faculty of Music.

The primary focus of the Schlegel Research Chair in Music Therapy and Aging will advance research focused on the quality of life and care of older adults with an approach that is interdisciplinary and incorporates the voice of those with lived experience. The Chair will have an aptitude for real-world implementation with a commitment to co-design methods and a dedication in bringing the benefits of music to the lives of older adults, their supports, and carers. Further, the Chair will have related interests in the benefits of music therapy interventions that extends to the care team, resilience, healing and workplace engagement. Pertaining these areas of expertise, the Chair will have a strong portfolio of published scholarly research and evidence of ability to obtain extramural funding.

The Schlegel Research Chair will advance Laurier’s position as a leader in music therapy and aging and bridge the gap between scholarship and clinical work, leveraging and building on relationships within the RIA. The Chair will engage in interdisciplinary research with fellow RIA researchers and leverage RIA’s infrastructure. The Chair is expected to initiate new interdisciplinary research projects in collaboration with scholars and/or partners both within and outside the Laurier community.

The Chair is also expected to recruit and supervise Laurier graduate students at the Master and PhD levels and involve them as Research Assistants in projects and placements in music therapy and aging. Research is expected to be published in top-tier journals that address issues in the field of music therapy and aging. The Chair is expected to attend, present, and discuss developments, insights, and results at appropriate academic, clinical, and public venues. Securing external funding and contributing to the training and mentorship of graduate students through their research program are also part of this position. The successful candidate is expected to have demonstrated teaching proficiency and graduate level research supervision in order to continue to make contributions to graduate and undergraduate teaching and participate in the service activities of the university.

About the Faculty of Music

Laurier’s renowned Faculty of Music is dedicated to fostering artistic and scholarly development of the highest calibre, and to providing a creative environment for student success. Laurier’s graduate and undergraduate Music Therapy programs are recognized throughout Canada and internationally. The Faculty’s Music Therapy Program is accredited under the College of Psychotherapy of Ontario. The Master of Music Therapy (MMT) is the longest-running graduate music therapy degree in Canada. Laurier is also the only university in Ontario that offers an undergraduate degree in music therapy, and the only one in Canada that offers a Ph.D. in Music Therapy. Built around themes of music, health, community, and culture, Laurier’s graduate programs benefit students interested in mastering their research and clinical skills. Graduate students’ research pursuits may include but are not limited to music and wellness, music performance and transforming communities, music therapy interventions, music and the brain, global music practices, activism in health and well-being, music and aging, and music-medicine. The Faculty is comprised of distinguished scholars, performers, educators, and is also home to two cutting-edge research centres: The Manfred and Penny Conrad Institute for Music Therapy Research and the Laurier Centre for Music in the Community. These centres are dedicated to advancing knowledge in music therapy and community music, respectively.

About the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging

The Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (RIA) is a charitable, non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life and care of older adults. The RIA tackles some of the biggest issues facing an aging population by integrating research, education and practice. The RIA develops solutions that make a difference to benefit older adults everywhere.  

The RIA supports a world-class interdisciplinary research team, including 12 Schlegel Research Chairs, three Schlegel Specialists, and over 20 research scientists. The RIA has practice, research and education partnerships with Schlegel Villages, University of Waterloo and Conestoga College, and collaborates with many other academic institutions and organizations. The RIA is located in Waterloo with unique-in-the-world infrastructure that brings together researchers, students, health professionals, older adults and care partners to learn with and from each other. 

Qualifications

Candidates must have:

a PhD;

Certified Music Therapist (MTA) in good standing or eligible to obtain the MTA certification under the Canadian Association of Music Therapists (CAMT);

Clinical music therapy education and clinical experience or experience in recognized healing practices in Indigenous and/or other cultural contexts;

Established record of publications or other formats of dissemination in Music Therapy, Music Medicine, Music and Health, or Music and Healing with a focus on music therapy and aging, (a minimum of 10 articles or equivalent);

Excellent musicianship and demonstrated ability to teach clinical musicianship skills, including clinical improvisation;

Demonstrated ability to publish in journals devoted to music therapy, and allied health professions, including oral and other practices of dissemination;

Evidence of providing scholarly reviews for accredited journals and conferences;

Evidence of successful teaching record at the undergraduate or graduate level;

Record of sustained awards/grants as principal investigator;

Evidence of commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion in teaching and research;

Experience supervising and serving as examiner for Master and/or PhD level research;

Evidence of being a sought- after researcher;

Strong administrative skills.

Asset:

In order to teach in the music therapy Master’s program, the candidate must be a Registered Psychotherapist (RP) or qualified to obtain registration under the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO). Applicants without RP eligibility can teach in the undergraduate and/or PhD. programs.

How to Apply

Applicants should send

a letter of application that addresses the above qualifications;

a curriculum vitae;

a preliminary research program proposal (approximately 4 pages or 1000 words);

teaching portfolio that includes but is not limited to philosophy of teaching statement, past course syllabuses, evidence of successful teaching, course evaluations;

summaries of three contributions to the field of research in music therapy and aging (approximately 1 page or 250 words for each).

Contact information of three academic referees willing to provide a letter of reference should also be included. All applications must include the Position Number 8688 and should be addressed electronically to:

Kirsten Yri

Faculty Search Committee Chair

Faculty of Music

Wilfrid Laurier University

kyri@wlu.ca

Deadline for applications is November 1, 2024.

The anticipated start date of the Chair is July 1, 2025.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, as per Canadian immigration laws, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. To comply with the Government of Canada’s reporting requirements, the University is obligated to gather information about applicants’ status as either Permanent Residents of Canada or Canadian citizens. Applicants need not identify their country of origin or current citizenships, however, all applicants must include one of the following statements in their cover letter:

Yes, I am a current citizen or permanent resident of Canada;

No, I am not a current citizen or permanent resident of Canada

Members of the designated groups must self-identify to be considered for employment equity. Candidates should self-identify, in confidence, to Michelle Corbett, Senior Administrative Officer (mcorbett@wlu.ca). Further information on the equity policy can be found at https://www.wlu.ca/about/governance/assets/resources/8.4-employment-equity.html.

Applicants are encouraged to address any career interruptions or special circumstances that may have affected their record of research and teaching, in accordance with SSHRC and NSERC definitions and guidelines. To obtain a copy of this job description in an accessible format, please contact Justine MacNeil (fomdeansoffice@wlu.ca).

The Faculty of Music wishes to thank all applicants for their interest. All nominations and applications shall be reviewed and considered under a set of criteria established by the Search Committee and a short list of candidates shall be interviewed. Only those applicants selected for the short list will be contacted.

External Job Description
External Job Description