Kathryn V. Vaughn M.A. ’88

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As a graduate student in ethnomusicology, Kathryn Vaughn was far more conversant with musical programs than computer programs. When she set out to merge her music studies with computer science, certain faculty members were understandably dubious about the results. They needn’t have worried. With remarkable insight and boundless curiosity, Vaughn determinedly mastered a tremendous amount of complicated technical material and produced a complex original computer program designed to transcribe and analyze melodies and rhythms. Scholars from around the world have begun sending her their recordings to analyze with her program and are including her analyses in their publications. She has also been invited to present papers in Scotland and Austria.

Through her work, numerous opportunities have arisen to become involved in community and university service – opportunities she eagerly embraced. She has volunteered her time and expertise to help handicapped students and has instructed students in transcription techniques, video and audio recording, concepts in field work and data management. Faculty members from such far-flung fields as music, computer science, psychology and anthropology are unanimous in their praise of Vaughn. Such a consensus can only signal a scholar of extraordinary ability.