A transdisciplinary symposium on the occasion of the 70th birthday of Prof. Dr. Uwe Seifert.

The symposium will serve as a platform for intra- and transdisciplinary exchange on current research at the intersection of the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, neuroscience, cognitive science, and artistic practice. In line with Prof. Seifert's transdisciplinary approach and basic research, which integrates cognitive science, biology, and music research, the focus will be on the connections between different disciplines and their common research.

Please confirm your attendance by 15 June, 2026 via email to Ms. Christina Monschau (christina.monschau@uni-koeln.de); she will also be happy to assist with any questions, suggestions, or additional requests.

Confirmed speakers: 

Prof. Dr. Lara Pearson, Prof. Dr. Frank Hentschel, Prof. Dr. Hauke Egermann, Prof. Dr. Anna Bonifazi, Prof. Dr. Aria adil, Dr. Rie Asano, Prof. Dr. Uwe Seifert, and two keynote speakers: 

• Keynote 1: Prof. Dr. Ian Cross, University of Cambridge: Music, affiliative interaction and the person in law
• Keynote 2: Prof. Dr. Michael Arbib, University of Southern California USCD (remote presentation): Architecture, Narrative, and the Space-Time of Action

Location: Musiksaal, Hauptgebäude, Institute of Musicology at the University of Cologne, Albertus-Magnus-Platz, 50923 Köln.

Time: 11 am till 7 pm. 

A preliminary programme can be downloaded here (Version from 17 April 2026).