Dr. Ellen Waterman

Biography

Ellen Waterman is a Full Professor and the Helmut Kallmann Chair at Carleton University, where she also directs the Research Centre Music, Sound, Society Canada. She holds a Ph.D. and M.A. from the University of California, San Diego, and a Bachelor of Music from the University of Manitoba. Her interdisciplinary research spans music and sound studies, focusing on areas such as improvisation, performance ecologies, and community-engaged research. Waterman has contributed significantly to the field with her edited collections and active involvement as an improviser and flutist. In 2021, she established the CFI-funded Sonic Arts Participation Lab to promote inclusive cultural practices. Her published works have addressed topics like environmental music drama and the role of sound in shaping Canadian society. Waterman's teaching includes graduate seminars in Music Culture and the Cultural Mediations PhD program, where she supervises graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Additionally, she is a core member of the International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation, which emphasizes the importance of critical dialogue in the realm of improvisation and music education.

Research Interests

Experience