173. Teresa Nakra, Exploring Music through Culture, Technology, & Creative Coding
Release Date: 06/29/2026
181. Kath Mertens, Next Chapter: Animal Behavior
The 92 Report
Kath Mertens (Kath Ulman) reflects on her life stage, mentioning her 20-year-old son heading to college, her divorce, and her part-time work. She describes feeling on the cusp of a new life phase, similar to when she graduated from Harvard. Becoming a Veterinarian Kath shares her initial career aspirations of becoming a veterinarian and the challenges she faced due to the lack of a pre-vet focus at Harvard. Kath recounts her first post-Harvard job in Jackson, Wyoming, where she worked as a ski bum and later as a wrangler on a dude ranch. She rediscovered her passion for veterinary medicine...
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180. Kristen Fowler Garland, From Cambridge to Japan to Alaska
The 92 Report
Show Notes: Kristen Fowler Garland majored in East Asian Studies and Japanese at Harvard. She explains her decision to spend five years in Japan after graduation, including two years with the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) program. She describes her experience with the JET program, teaching conversational English in Toyama, and her efforts to learn Japanese. Kristen shares her job search in Japan, landing a position with a foreign subsidiary in Tokyo, where she learned to use Excel in Japanese. Market Research and Field Hockey Kristen recounts her work in market research, tracking the shift...
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179. Clare Scherrer, Investment Banker, CFO, Public Board Director
The 92 Report
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178. Mara (Beverwyk) Christine, Librarian, Teacher, Lawyer
The 92 Report
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177. Kiki Snyder, Assigned Karen at Birth
The 92 Report
Show Notes: Kiki (formerly Karen) Snyder shares her 35-year journey since her breakdown at Harvard, which landed her in restraints at McLean Hospital during exams in 1991. She discusses being misdiagnosed as severely bipolar, the 32 years she lost to toxic psychiatric medications, and the self she rediscovered. "Karen was full of fear and anger. Karen wanted to speak to the manager. But Kiki's in charge now. I am the manager." Learn more about her transformation on Instagram at and at . From Karen to Kiki Kiki elaborates on her transformation from Karen to Kiki. A massage therapist...
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176. Maya Browne, The Road Not Taken
The 92 Report
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175. Chana Gable Selmon, Medicine Without Borders
The 92 Report
Show Notes: Chana Gable Selmon explains she joined Harvard as a transfer student in 1990, overlapping two years with the class of 1992. She graduated in 1993 after completing science requirements due to her history concentration. Chana decided to go to medical school at Cornell, followed by an internship in Emergency Medicine at Bellevue NYU and residency at Harvard. Commuting between Jerusalem and New Jersey Chana had her first child in 2000 and continued working as an ER doctor. She describes her experience as a fourth-year resident at Brooklyn Hospital Center during 9/11. She later ...
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174. Jenny Davidson, Professor of English & Comparative Literature
The 92 Report
Show Notes: Jenny Davidson describes her continued passion for literature, reading, and writing, her interest in primatology, adventures in Tanzania, and her new hobbies. Form and Technique in Powerlifting She details her fitness routine, including powerlifting, running, swimming, triathlon, and yoga. Jenny shares her experience with a longstanding injury affecting her ability to do high-volume aerobic training. Jenny explains the basics of powerlifting, distinguishing it from Olympic lifting. She describes her favorite lift, the deadlift, and the other two main lifts: squat and...
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173. Teresa Nakra, Exploring Music through Culture, Technology, & Creative Coding
The 92 Report
Show Notes Teresa shares her background as a music major at Harvard, focusing on conducting. She discusses her decision to apply for the Michael C. Rockefeller Fellowship to study Indian classical music in India. Teresa describes her year in India, living with a family and studying North Indian classical music. Exploring Indian Classical Music Teresa explains her experience with the violin, which was introduced to Indian classical music by the Portuguese in the 1500s. She details the differences between Western tonal harmony and Indian classical music, including the use of a drone and melodic...
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172. Michael Lim, Physicist, Mentor, Traveler
The 92 Report
Show Notes: Kim Goyette reflects on Michael Lim’s early days at Harvard, starting with their time in Dorm Crew. They met in Lionel Hall and became friends, with Michael being a physics major and Kim a sociology major. Their relationship began tentatively in their sophomore year, with many ups and downs before they officially became a couple by graduation. From Harvard to the University of MIchigan After graduation, Michael went to the University of Michigan for his PhD in physics, while Kim went to Tulane University for her MA in sociology. They maintained their relationship during...
info_outlineShow Notes
Teresa shares her background as a music major at Harvard, focusing on conducting. She discusses her decision to apply for the Michael C. Rockefeller Fellowship to study Indian classical music in India. Teresa describes her year in India, living with a family and studying North Indian classical music.
Exploring Indian Classical Music
Teresa explains her experience with the violin, which was introduced to Indian classical music by the Portuguese in the 1500s. She details the differences between Western tonal harmony and Indian classical music, including the use of a drone and melodic improvisation. Teresa describes her daily routine of practicing the violin and taking lessons in the Indian tradition. She mentions her journaling and pen pal correspondence with Rachel Berger who was in Zimbabwe at the same time.
Working at MIT
Teresa recounts her return to the U.S. and a phone call from Tod Machover at MIT, leading to her enrolment at MIT. She describes her work at MIT, inventing new technologies for music making, including a conductor's jacket with sensors. Teresa discusses her collaboration with Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops, using the conductor's jacket in a concert. She explains the insights gained from the conductor's jacket, including the use of force and muscle tension in conducting gestures.
Working as a Freelance Music Technologist
Teresa shares her experience as a freelance music technologist and starting her own nonprofit organization. She describes her role as the first music technologist hired in a music department at the College of New Jersey. Teresa explains the different categories within music technology, including audio engineering, digital signal processing, and composition. She discusses the use of digital audio workstations (DAWs) for multi-track composition and recording. She talks about her book and the inspiration behind it.
Personal Habits and Wellness
Teresa shares her personal habit of taking regular walks in nature to maintain mental health. She reflects on the importance of wellness habits, especially during stressful times of the year. Teresa also discusses the importance of taking risks and making job changes in mid-career. She encourages others to pursue new opportunities and continue growing professionally.
Harvard Reflections
Teresa highlights the influence of professors like Graeme Boone and Jan Swafford on her career. She shares her appreciation for their support and mentorship throughout her academic journey. Teresa reflects on the impact of specific courses, and how it inspired her to go to India and her musical interests. She emphasizes the importance of personal connections with faculty members in fostering a love for music.
Music that Stands the Test of Time
Teresa discusses her personal music listening habits, focusing on classical music, jazz, and world music. She mentions her daughter's influence in introducing her to contemporary music. Teresa reflects on the diversity of her music playlists and her ongoing exploration of new genres. She emphasizes the timeless quality of great music and its role in her personal and professional life.
Timestamps:
02:39: Learning Indian Classical Music
06:48: Return to the U.S. and MIT
13:58: Teaching and Music Technology
19:57: Personal Projects and Publications
23:44: Impact of Technology on Music Education
28:16: Personal Habits and Wellness
30:30: Influential Professors and Courses
34:44: Personal Music Preferences
Links:
Teresa’s Book (Constructing Music: Musical Explorations in Creative Coding) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0197669190?tag=oxacglobal-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1
Oxford University Press website: https://academic.oup.com/book/55879
Academic Page at Stevens Institute of Technology: https://www.stevens.edu/profile/tnakra
*AI generated transcript and show notes