Rahul Bader started at SFU in 2002 and graduated in 2008. He achieved a Bachelor of Arts in Cognitive Science (following the linguistics, psychology and philosophy streams) and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music. In 2005, Rahul had the chance to attend the Ghana Field School, studying West African music and dance, while staying at the University of Ghana through SFU International.
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"Here was a program that offered a platform for varying thinkers
to be faced with the same questions about the mind and learning,
and tackle them from their unique perspective."
Q. What made you decide to come to SFU from Toronto?
A. Deciding to come to SFU from Toronto gave me a chance to explore my homeland and its thinkers from a whole new perspective. Being that I was raised in Toronto, but born in BC, I always felt that particular connection with "home." After learning that SFU offered a unique program that allowed me to explore the various aspects of the mind from a diverse perspective of disciplines, I jumped like an excited neuron and headed straight to BC. Six years later, I haven't regretted a thing; my two hemispheres have been academically satiated.
Q. What attracted you to the COGS Program?
A. Being that SFU's Cognitive Science Program offered courses in Psychology, Philosophy, Linguistics and Computing Science, I knew that I would be given the chance to explore my fascination with the mind from a variety of lenses. The program seemed inclusive enough to open doors to disciplines that, for a long time, only allowed for one type of thinker. Here was a program that offered a platform for varying thinkers to be faced with the same questions about the mind and learning, and tackle them from their unique perspective. I was attracted as to how the result of that interaction would lead to a more holistic and well-rounded view of the mind.
Q. When did you realize you were also interested in a Fine Arts degree?
A. I initially opted for the Cognitive Science Program, and by the end of the first year, my head was peering into the Fine Arts wing. I hadn't intended on entering the music faculty at that point, but really I was just fascinated by electro-acoustic sound, and the possibilities it offered in exploring the human voice.
Q. What led you to opt for both degrees?
A. I came to enjoy the variety found in both faculties at SFU, and decided to teeter-totter my education to see what connections I could make. I remember one semester studying both neuroscience and orchestration back to back. But it soon became crystal clear why things were unfolding as they were. Though I initially sided with the Cog Sci program, my interest and motivation to create music deepened over time. Thus the only way to level the playing field in the end was to do both a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Fine Arts.
Q. Where is the intersection between muisic and cognitive science?
A. Appreciation of music, I would consider to be one of the defining features of humans the world over. It is as though our brains are wired to reap the benefits of listening and interacting with music in all its diverse forms -- whether that means listening on the couch, composing on staff paper, or dancing in a club. Thus, in examining the nature of the mind, one must ask why music has evolved alongside it, and continues to do so in almost every culture throughout the world. The obvious connections are in the way of language, and how music and language both share commonalities like prosody, phrasing, rhythm and timing. Lyrics give literal meaning to a musical phrase, prosody gives emotional content to a sequence of words. Without this constant interplay between musical and language based elements, the world of expression would be fairly dry and monotone. My particular interest is in how the brain coordinates and interprets multiple rhythmic cues, and the classification of musical rhythms according to culture.
Q. How have you integrated your knowledge of cognitive science with your life?
A. Cognitive science has given me a means to look at the world from a wider perspective, and see the common humanity that unites us. A study of neural pathways, whether they be those that lead to various degenerative diseases or those in a healthy individual, has helped me appreciate the extraordinary intelligence that each of us possesses. It is a field that has broadened how I view language and the threads of commonalities that bind all oral and written cultures.
Q. What's next for Rahul?
A. In the years to come I hope to work more with special needs children and adults, in the area of creative therapy and rehabilitation. There are lots areas of potential research involving music and the mind, and I would like to focus on rhythm's connection with language. I also hope to expand research on how group/community interactions with rhythm and music, leads to healthier immune systems by stimulating brain activity. In the meantime, I am writing music for film and dance, and trying my best to stay out of treble!
The heart of the Cognitive Science Program lies in its ability to facilitate creative cross-discipline thinking. Cognitive Science at SFU is proud to be the home of many thoughtful students who have found imaginative approaches to connect their broad interests in ways that allow them to get the engaging education they want. Learn more about other Cognitive Science Program alumni.