Manuela has a multidisciplinary academic background and holds a Master’s degree in English studies and Physics (2005, distinction) as well as a Master's degree in Systematic Musicology (2011, distinction) from the University of Graz (Austria). She also completed an MSc in Research Methods in Psychology (2009, distinction) at Goldsmiths, University of London (UK). In 2003, Manuela studied one semester at the University of New England (Australia) funded by the Joint Study Program. Manuela worked as teaching assistant for Prof. Annemarie Peltzer-Karpf (Graz, 2006-2008), as student assistant for Prof. Richard Parncutt
(Graz, 2006-2008), and as graduate research assistant for Prof. Stephen McAdams (Montreal, 2008) as well as for Prof. Lauren Stewart (London, 2010). Manuela held positions as university assitant (pre doc) at the University of Vienna (2011-2015) and at the University of Innsbruck (2016-2020). She is currently pursuing a PhD in Experimental
Psychology. Manuela is a co-founder of the ongoing conference series "International Conference of Students of Systematic Musicology (SysMus)" and a member of the editorial board of the journal Empirical Studies of the Arts.
Ad hoc reviewer for 42 journals
since 2010 for: Acta Musicologica; Advances in Cognitive Psychology; Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences; Art & Perception; Auditory Perception and Cognition; Brain and Behavior; Behavior Research Methods; Cognition; Cognition & Emotion; Cognitive, Affective and Behavioral Neuroscience; Empirical Studies of the Arts; Evolutionary Human Sciences; Frontiers in Psychology; Frontiers in Human Neuroscience; i-Perception; IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering; IEEE Transactions on Haptics; Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience; Journal of Eye Movement Research; Journal of New Music Research; Journal of the Musical Arts in Africa; Music Perception; Music & Science; Musicae Scientiae; Neurocase; Neuropsychologia; Neuroscience; New Ideas in Psychology; North American Journal of Medical Sciences; PeerJ; Personality and Individual Differences; Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B; PLos ONE; Psychology of Music; Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts; Psychological Bulletin; Psychomusicology: Music, Mind and Brain; Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology; Research Studies in Music Education; Scientific Reports; Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience; Yonsei Medical Journal
The SysMus Conference Series (SysMus)
In 2008, I co-founded (together with Prof. Richard Parncutt) the International Conference of Students of Systematic Musicology (SysMus). At that time, Prof. Parncutt understood the need for a students' conference in the field, and I (as his student assistant) was happy to organize it according to my ideas and to make SysMus08
(Link to conference website)
happen in Graz, the city in which I received my first university education. Right from the beginning, SysMus had an international scope, and over the years the conference series has been striving to bring together young researchers from all around the world to share and discuss their work in the field of systematic musicology and beyond. Being convinced that SysMus is a "really good thing" for young academics of our field, I dedicated 10 years of my life to promote the conference series by trying to find motivated hosts and founding a SysMus Council as well as building up a SysMus community among former participants (creation of a website, mailing list and FB-group among other things). After the conference series has been put on solid grounds, I initiated the establishment of an Executive Committee and Guidelines for future conferences in 2018 to ensure that the conference will continue without my active involvement at the top. SysMus is still taking place at a yearly rhythm, with hosts and keynote speakers that are at the forefront of our field. I am happy and proud that so many people around the world have found a place to meet and grow relationships with other young researchers. Thank you all, keep it up! ;) Link to SysMus Guidelines
Further training courses
2020-ongoing. MS Teams, MS OneNote, virtual learning for higher education, oral communication skills, Gamification in higher education, research based teaching, explaining complex issues in simple terms, LinkedIn 3x3 (IMC FH Krems, Austria)
2016-2020. Course planning for lecturers, student performance evaluation, time management for lecturers, teach less to improve understanding, moderation techniques, ARSnova Audience Response System for interactive class communication, supervision of bachelor and master’s theses, leadership skills, burn-out prevention, project application techniques, research project management, science communication, laws governing data protection, copyright and university studies, speed reading, advanced presentation techniques, first aid course and refresher course (University of Innsbruck, Austria)
2012-2016. Time management & goal setting, media training, voice coaching, advanced communication skills, networking (University of Vienna, Austria)
2013-2016. Photoshop, AMOS, Matlab, R (University of Vienna, Austria)
2004-2010. Communication skills, decision making, conflict management, gender competence, leadership in teams (15 ECTS points, Centre for Social Competence, University of Graz, Austria)
2014. Summer school "Perceptual organization: Interdisciplinary approaches and research skills" (KU Leuven, Belgium)
Link
2015. Summer school "Cognitive Neuroscience" (University of Helsinki, Finland)
2016. Workshop "How:EEG" (University of Ljubljana, Slovenia)
Professional society memberships
DGM (German Society for Music Psychology)
ÖGMW (Austrian Society for Musicology)
APA Division 10 (American Psychological Association)
ESCOM (European Society for the Cognitive Sciences of Music)
IAEA (International Association of Empirical Aesthetics)
SEMPRE (Society for Education, Music and Psychology Research)