TARA VENKATESAN

ABOUT TARA

Dr. Tara Venkatesan is an Indian cognitive scientist and operatic soprano, known for her innovative work at the intersection of music, technology, and neuroscience. She is currently the Director of Cognitive Science Research at Universal Music Group, the first of its kind position at a major record label. Her lab researches the impact of music on mental wellbeing and helps develop consumer products.

She has a B.S. in Cognitive Science from Yale University and a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from Oxford University. Her groundbreaking research has been published in prestigious peer-reviewed journals and featured in world-renowned media outlets, including The New York Times, BBC, Channel News Asia, and Health Magazine.  She has been invited to speak at institutions such as Harvard, Yale, Johns Hopkins, The National University of Singapore and The Royal Institution. She is one of the youngest Honorary Fellows at the School of Advanced Study, University of London.

When she’s not in the lab, Dr. Venkatesan can usually be found on the opera stage. A singer with a “crystalline soprano” (Broadway World), she has performed for the Dalai Lama and Presidents of India and Austria, at the UK House of Lords and the closing ceremony of the 2010 Commonwealth games, and as a recording artist for Walt Disney. She was nominated for the 2023 Off West End “Offies” Award for Best Opera Performance. She has an MMus in Vocal Performance from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama where she was a Sir Howard Stringer Scholar.