Consilience: Learning about Ourselves by Applying Indigenous Traditions to Western Music and Technology

這一系列的論文是由工程學和音樂領域的學者和實踐者在訪問玻利維亞和塞拉利昂的原住民社區後撰寫的，這些論文展示了共同研究所帶來的經驗、對話和洞見。隨著作者和貢獻者更深入地探索彼此的西方專業傳統，音樂和技術之間出現了一種令人驚訝的共通性，這種共通性根植於對原住民力量的無知。這是工程學和音樂領域中一個未被探索的研究領域。每個學科都遵循西方學術機構的嚴格傳統，這些傳統不僅忽視了祖先和原住民的傳統，還貶低了它們。通過匯集多元的藝術家和工程師，這項探索研究了如何與非西方知識互動，以改變任何領域的西方專家的理解。

Ann-Perry Witmer is a senior research scientist and lecturer at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She is the originator of the field of Contextual Engineering, which merges technical design with the conditions and identities of its intended user population. A licensed professional engineer, Witmer has designed potable water systems for municipalities through the US and in non-industrialized countries throughout the world. Engineering is a second career for Witmer, who previously worked as a newspaper reporter/editor and holds degrees in journalism and art history, in addition to her engineering degrees in civil, environmental and agricultural & biological engineering.

International horn soloist, Bernhard Scully, is currently the Associate Professor of Horn at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is a member of the University of Illinois Global STEAM and is Artistic Director of the non-profit 501(c)(3) Cormont Music. He spends most of his summer in the White Mountains of New Hampshire as both the Artistic Director of the Kendall Betts Horn Camp and as the horn player of the North Country Chamber Players. His solo career has spanned across many genres from classical, to jazz and beyond, including being the long-time horn player of the Canadian Brass and principal horn of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. Among his many awards are top honors at numerous competitions, most notably being the first classical brass player to win a McKnight Fellowship for Performing Musicians. His most recent honor was being made a member of the University of Illinois College of Agricultural Consumer Environmental Sciences (ACES) "Global Academy". As a pedagogue Bernhard has given lectures and master classes around the world and is a regular featured artist at international music conventions and festivals. His degrees are from Northwestern University (with honors), and the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he attended on a Paul Collins Distinguished Graduate Fellowship. In 2010 the University of Wisconsin awarded him a Distinguished Alumni Award for excellence in artistry.

Jess Mingee is a PhD student of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University. They have also been a student of Witmer and Scully since 2018. Their research in Contextual Engineering focuses on the challenges of stakeholder dynamics that affect project decision-making and longevity, particularly in projects where international development organizations seek to assist rural communities in navigating climate change impacts. Alongside their research, they continue to study horn under Scully and perform in campus ensembles.

Ann-Perry Witmer是伊利諾伊大學厄巴納-香檳分校的高級研究科學家和講師。她是「情境工程」領域的創始人，該領域將技術設計與其預期使用者群體的條件和身份相結合。作為一名持有專業工程師執照的工程師，Witmer曾為美國各地的市政飲用水系統以及世界各地的非工業化國家設計過飲用水系統。工程師是Witmer的第二職業，她之前曾擔任報紙記者/編輯，並擁有新聞學和藝術史學位，除了土木、環境和農業生物工程學位外。

國際號角獨奏家Bernhard Scully目前是伊利諾伊大學厄巴納-香檳分校的號角副教授。他是伊利諾伊大學全球STEAM的成員，也是非營利組織Cormont Music的藝術總監。他大部分時間都在新罕布什爾州的白山度過夏天，既是Kendall Betts號角營的藝術總監，也是North Country Chamber Players的號角演奏家。他的獨奏生涯跨越多種音樂流派，從古典到爵士等各種風格，包括長期擔任加拿大銅管樂團的號角演奏家和聖保羅室內樂團的首席號角。他獲得了許多獎項，其中最重要的是成為第一位獲得麥克奈特表演音樂家獎學金的古典銅管樂器演奏家。他最近的榮譽是成為伊利諾伊大學農業消費環境科學學院（ACES）「全球學院」的成員。作為一位教育家，Bernhard在世界各地舉辦講座和大師班，並經常在國際音樂會和音樂節中擔任特邀藝術家。他的學位來自西北大學（榮譽學位）和威斯康辛大學麥迪遜分校，他在那裡獲得了保羅·柯林斯傑出研究生獎學金。2010年，威斯康辛大學授予他傑出校友獎，以表彰他在藝術方面的卓越成就。

Jess Mingee是伊利諾伊大學厄巴納-香檳分校的農業和生物工程博士生，並擁有該大學的機械工程學士學位。自2018年以來，他們也是Witmer和Scully的學生。他們在情境工程方面的研究集中在影響項目決策和持久性的利益相關者動態挑戰上，特別是在國際發展組織尋求協助農村社區應對氣候變化影響的項目中。除了研究之外，他們繼續在Scully的指導下學習號角，並在校園合奏中演奏。