Curriculum Vitae
Torin Hopkins, PhD · Show email
Research Interests
I am an interdisciplinary researcher, educator, and performer specializing in the design of complex collaborative systems using advanced computational methods and analyzing human dynamics in the context of music.
My work exists at the intersection of AI, Human-Computer Interaction, Neuroscience, Psychology, Extended Reality, Health, and Music. I primarily publish in HCI, computer science, and engineering venues.
Keywords: AI, system/interface design, brain-computer interfaces, extended reality, healthcare, psychology, and performance.
Education
2019–2024
University of Colorado Boulder — Boulder, CO
Triple Ph.D. in Creative Technology & Design, Neuroscience, and Cognitive Science
Dissertation: Computer-Supported Music Improvisation
Committee: Ellen Yi-Luen Do, Grace Leslie, Chris Chafe, Lei Yuan, Amy Banić, Leanne Hirshfield
Advisors: Ellen Yi-Luen Do, Lei Yuan, Leanne Hirshfield, Alaa Ahmed
Triple Ph.D. in Creative Technology & Design, Neuroscience, and Cognitive Science
Dissertation: Computer-Supported Music Improvisation
Committee: Ellen Yi-Luen Do, Grace Leslie, Chris Chafe, Lei Yuan, Amy Banić, Leanne Hirshfield
Advisors: Ellen Yi-Luen Do, Lei Yuan, Leanne Hirshfield, Alaa Ahmed
2016–2017
Iowa State University — Ames, IA
M.S. in Mechanical Engineering (Human-Computer Interaction)
M.S. in Mechanical Engineering (Human-Computer Interaction)
2009–2013
Southern Illinois University — Carbondale, IL
B.S. in Pre-Medical Physiology; Minors in Music and Chemistry
B.S. in Pre-Medical Physiology; Minors in Music and Chemistry
Research Experience
2015–Present
SolJAMM LLC — Founder
Music education technology company. Lead music research and direct R&D in augmented instruments for learning. Clients include the National University of Singapore, Studios Education, University of Colorado, and Bowdoin College, among others. Lead workshops and music education, having taught thousands of students (guitar, voice, piano, bass, ukulele, drums, music technology).
Music education technology company. Lead music research and direct R&D in augmented instruments for learning. Clients include the National University of Singapore, Studios Education, University of Colorado, and Bowdoin College, among others. Lead workshops and music education, having taught thousands of students (guitar, voice, piano, bass, ukulele, drums, music technology).
2026
University of Colorado Boulder — Research Affiliate, ATLAS Institute and Department of Psychology and Neuroscience
Lead research efforts for AI in music performance, technology, and psychology of music education.
Lead research efforts for AI in music performance, technology, and psychology of music education.
2024–2026
National University of Singapore — Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Computer Science
AI music generation, AI and music in music therapy, AI in language learning applications.
AI music generation, AI and music in music therapy, AI in language learning applications.
2019–2024
University of Colorado Boulder — Ph.D. Researcher, Instructor of Record
Computer-supported music improvisation, AI, brain-computer interfaces, XR, and psychology of music.
Computer-supported music improvisation, AI, brain-computer interfaces, XR, and psychology of music.
2022
Ericsson Research, Santa Clara, CA — Research Intern
Designed and tested an AR application for networked improvisation with an AI-driven musician.
Designed and tested an AR application for networked improvisation with an AI-driven musician.
2013–2017
NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL — Neuroscience Research Assistant
fMRI studies on consciousness, music, learning, and memory (PI: Douglas Burman).
fMRI studies on consciousness, music, learning, and memory (PI: Douglas Burman).
2010–2013
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Carbondale, IL — Research Assistant
Cellular/molecular developmental neurobiology and endocrinology (PI: Buffy Ellsworth).
Cellular/molecular developmental neurobiology and endocrinology (PI: Buffy Ellsworth).
Honors & Distinctions
2025
IEEE Travel and Research Grant ($500)
2025
Frontiers Journal Research Grant ($1,200)
2024
Bowdoin College Travel Grant ($2,000)
2024
Institute of Cognitive Science Research Grant ($700)
2023
Institute of Cognitive Science Travel Grant ($700)
2023
Institute of Cognitive Science Travel Grant ($500)
2023
CU Boulder Travel Grant ($900)
2023
Most Impactful Work, Pervasive Personalized Intelligence Conference ($300)
2022
Artist and Black Box Performance Grant ($500)
2022
Ericsson Research Funding ($65,000)
2022
Institute of Cognitive Science Travel Grant ($1,000)
2022
Frontiers Journal Research Grant ($1,000)
2022
CU Boulder Travel Grant ($900)
2022
CU Boulder Travel Grant ($450)
2021
Ericsson Research Funding ($60,000)
2019
Dean’s Graduate Award, University of Colorado Boulder ($30,000)
2013
Spirit of Inclusion and Diversity Award, SIUC
2013
Martin Zeeman Leadership Award, SIUC
2009
Key to the City of Highland Park, IL for Charitable Services
Funding (contributed to awarded grants totaling $1.6M)
2024
SLIONS: An AI-Enabled Platform to Promote Personalized Chinese Language Learning for Adult Language Learners
$1,400,000 · Singapore Ministry of Education · PI: Ye Wang
Wrote grant extension for completing research.
$1,400,000 · Singapore Ministry of Education · PI: Ye Wang
Wrote grant extension for completing research.
2021–2022
Networked Jamming with Human and AI Musicians in Extended Reality
$65,000 · Ericsson Research, Inc. · PI: Ellen Yi-Luen Do
Proposed project, wrote 100% of grant, and led research.
$65,000 · Ericsson Research, Inc. · PI: Ellen Yi-Luen Do
Proposed project, wrote 100% of grant, and led research.
2020–2021
Augmented Reality Drum Circle
$60,000 · Ericsson Research, Inc. · PI: Ellen Yi-Luen Do
Proposed project, wrote 100% of grant, and led research.
$60,000 · Ericsson Research, Inc. · PI: Ellen Yi-Luen Do
Proposed project, wrote 100% of grant, and led research.
Refereed Publications
2026
Torin Hopkins, Shih-Yu Ma, Zander Trafton-Hancock, Ellen Yi-Luen Do, and Luca Turchet. “CrowdForge: Effects of Audio and Visual Audience Participation Modalities on Agency, Collaboration, and Engagement in AI-Mediated MR Performances.” IEEE International Symposium on the Internet of Sounds (IS2), Cannes, France (Accepted).
2026
Torin Hopkins and Lei Yuan. “Embodied Symbol Systems: How Visual Features Shape the Symbol-Perception-Action Loop in Musical Notation.” (Under review).
2026
Sharmaine Pang, et al.. “Exploring the Role of Music Therapy in Stroke Recovery: A Qualitative Study of Stakeholder Views.” (Under review).
2026
Torin Hopkins, et al.. “AI-Driven Musicians as a Tool for Musical Collaboration.” (In preparation).
2026
Torin Hopkins, et al.. “AI-Enabled Music Therapy for Stroke Rehabilitation.” (In preparation).
2025
Longshen Ou, Jingwei Zhao, Ziyu Wang, Gus Xia, Qihao Liang, Torin Hopkins, and Ye Wang. “Unifying Symbolic Music Arrangement: Track-Aware Reconstruction and Structured Tokenization.” Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS), San Diego, CA, USA.
2025
Qihao Liang, Xichu Ma, Torin Hopkins, and Ye Wang. “LivePoem: Improving the Learning Experience of Classical Chinese Poetry with AI-Generated Musical Storyboards.” International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI), Montreal, Canada. (4% acceptance rate)
2025
Torin Hopkins, Ruojia Sun, Suibi Che-Chuan Weng, Shih-Yu Ma, James Crum, Leanne Hirshfield, and Ellen Yi-Luen Do. “BrAIn Jam: Neural Signal-Informed Adaptive System for Drumming Collaboration with an AI-Driven Virtual Musician.” Frontiers in Computer Science.
2025
Torin Hopkins, Shih-Yu Ma, Suibi Che-Chuan Weng, Ming-Yuan Pai, Ellen Yi-Luen Do, and Luca Turchet. “MR-DAW: Towards Collaborative Digital Audio Workstations in Mixed Reality.” IEEE International Symposium on the Internet of Sounds (IS2), L'Aquila, Italy.
2025
Suibi Che-Chuan Weng, Torin Hopkins, Shih-Yu Ma, Amy Banić, and Ellen Yi-Luen Do. “Effects of Limited Field of View on Musical Collaboration Experience with Avatars in Extended Reality.” IEEE International Symposium on the Internet of Sounds (IS2), L'Aquila, Italy.
2025
Doenja Oogjes, Ege Kökel, Netta Ofer, Hsiang-Lin Kuo, Jasmijn Vugts, Troy Nachtigall, and Torin Hopkins. “Knitting with Unknown Trees: Assembling a More-than-Human Practice.” ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference (DIS).
2024
Torin Hopkins. “Computer-Supported Music Improvisation.” Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Colorado Boulder (ProQuest), Boulder, CO, USA.
2024
Torin Hopkins, Suibi Che-Chuan Weng, Rishi Vanukuru, Sasha Novack, Chad Tobin, Emma Wenzel, Amy Banić, Mark D. Gross, and Ellen Yi-Luen Do. “XR Jam: Design Considerations for Music Networking with AI in XR.” IEEE International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and eXtended and Virtual Reality (AIxVR), Los Angeles, CA, USA.
2023
Rishi Vanukuru, Suibi Che-Chuan Weng, K. Ranjan, Torin Hopkins, Amy Banić, Mark D. Gross, and Ellen Yi-Luen Do. “DualStream: Spatially Sharing Selves and Surroundings using Mobile Devices and Augmented Reality.” IEEE International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality (ISMAR), Sydney, Australia.
2023
Torin Hopkins, Emily Doherty, Netta Ofer, Suibi Che-Chuan Weng, Peter Gyory, Chad Tobin, Leanne Hirshfield, and Ellen Yi-Luen Do. “Stringesthesia: Dynamically Shifting Musical Agency Between Audience and Performer Based on Trust in an Interactive and Improvised Performance.” Audio Mostly (AM ’23), Edinburgh, UK.
2023
Torin Hopkins, Alvin Jude, Greg Phillips, and Ellen Yi-Luen Do. “Virtual AI Jam: AI-Driven Virtual Musicians for Human-in-the-Loop Musical Improvisation.” AI Music Creativity Conference (AIMC), Brighton, UK.
2023
Torin Hopkins, Suibi Che-Chuan Weng, and Ellen Yi-Luen Do. “Rhythmic Conversations: Musical Performance with Improvising AI Drummers.” AI Music Creativity Conference (AIMC), Brighton, UK.
2023
Torin Hopkins. “Computer-Supported Musical Improvisation.” New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME), Doctoral Consortium, Mexico City, Mexico.
2022
Torin Hopkins, Suibi Che-Chuan Weng, Rishi Vanukuru, Emma A. Wenzel, Amy Banić, Mark D. Gross, and Ellen Yi-Luen Do. “AR Drum Circle: Real-Time Collaborative Drumming in AR.” Frontiers in Virtual Reality.
2022
Torin Hopkins, Suibi Che-Chuan Weng, Rishi Vanukuru, Emma Wenzel, Amy Banić, Mark D. Gross, and Ellen Yi-Luen Do. “Studying the Effects of Network Latency on Audio-Visual Perception During an AR Musical Task.” IEEE International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality (ISMAR), Singapore.
2020
Sarah Beemer, Zak Boston, April Bukoski, Daniel Chen, Princess Dickens, Andrew Gerlach, Torin Hopkins, Parth Anand Jawale, Chris Koski, Akanksha Malhotra, Piyush Mishra, Saliha Muradoğlu, Lan Sang, Tyler Short, Sagarika Shreevastava, Elizabeth Spaulding, Tetsumichi Umada, Beilei Xiang, Changbing Yang, and Mans Hulden. “Linguist vs. Machine: Rapid Development of Finite-State Morphological Grammars.” Proceedings of the 17th SIGMORPHON Workshop on Computational Research in Phonetics, Phonology, and Morphology.
2020
Torin Hopkins and Ellen Yi-Luen Do. “Jam Tabs: A Color Based Notation System for Novice Improvisation.” International Conference on Technologies for Music Notation and Representation (TENOR).
2019
Douglas D. Burman and Torin Hopkins. “Hippocampal Connectivity with Sensorimotor Cortex during Volitional Finger Movements: Laterality and Relationship to Motor Learning.” PLoS One. (Data analyst)
2018
Douglas D. Burman and Torin Hopkins. “Hippocampal Connectivity with Sensorimotor Cortex during Volitional Finger Movements. II. Spatial and Temporal Selectivity.” bioRxiv. (Data analyst)
2015
S. Rosenzweig, A. Freeman, and Torin Hopkins. “Annals Graphic Medicine – 50 Shades of Gray Matter.” Annals of Internal Medicine.
2014
J. S. Jasurda, D. O. Jung, E. D. Froeter, D. B. Schwartz, Torin D. Hopkins, C. L. Farris, S. McGee, P. Narayan, and Buffy S. Ellsworth. “The Forkhead Transcription Factor, FOXP3: A Critical Role in Male Fertility in Mice.” Biology of Reproduction.
2012
J. H. Gumbel, E. M. Patterson, S. A. Owusu, B. E. Kabat, D. O. Jung, J. Simmons, Torin Hopkins, and Buffy S. Ellsworth. “The Forkhead Transcription Factor, Foxd1, Is Necessary for Pituitary Luteinizing Hormone Expression in Mice.” PLoS One.
Posters & Extended Abstracts
2023
Torin Hopkins, Rishi Vanukuru, Suibi Che-Chuan Weng, Chad Tobin, Amy Banić, and Ellen Yi-Luen Do. “Networking AI-Driven Virtual Musicians in Extended Reality.” IEEE International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality Adjunct (ISMAR-Adjunct), Demo and Poster tracks.
2023
Suibi Che-Chuan Weng, Torin Hopkins, Shih-Yu Ma, Chad Tobin, Amy Banić, and Ellen Yi-Luen Do. “Investigating the Effects of Limited Field of View on Jamming Experience in Extended Reality.” IEEE International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality Adjunct (ISMAR-Adjunct).
2023
Torin Hopkins, Emily Doherty, Netta Ofer, Suibi Che-Chuan Weng, Peter Gyory, and Chad Tobin. “Stringesthesia: Dynamically Shifting Musical Agency Between Audience and Performer Based on Trust in an Interactive and Improvised Performance (Work in Progress).” New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME), Mexico City, Mexico.
2023
Suibi Che-Chuan Weng, Torin Hopkins, Rishi Vanukuru, Chad Tobin, Amy Banić, Daniel Leithinger, and Ellen Yi-Luen Do. “How Field of View Affects Awareness of an Avatar During a Musical Task in Augmented Reality.” IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces (IEEE VR), Poster Session.
2022
Torin Hopkins, Suibi Che-Chuan Weng, Rishi Vanukuru, Emma Wenzel, Amy Banić, and Ellen Yi-Luen Do. “How Late is Too Late? Effects of Network Latency on Audio-Visual Perception During AR Remote Musical Collaboration.” IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces Abstracts and Workshops (VRW).
2022
Torin Hopkins, Emily Doherty, Netta Ofer, Suibi Che-Chuan Weng, Peter Gyory, Chad Tobin, Leanne Hirshfield, et al.. “Stringesthesia: Interactive Musical Improvisation Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy.” Front Range Neuroscience Group, Poster Session.
2022
Torin Hopkins, Rishi Vanukuru, Suibi Che-Chuan Weng, Amy Banić, and Ellen Yi-Luen Do. “Augmented Personification of Intelligent Music Tools for Creativity and Collaboration.” ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (Workshop), New Orleans, LA, USA.
2021
Torin Hopkins, Peter Pascente, Wayne Seltzer, Kellie Masterson, and Ellen Yi-Luen Do. “The Jam Station: Gamifying Collaborative Musical Experiences Through Algorithmic Assessment.” Fifteenth International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction (TEI).
2015
Torin Hopkins and Douglas D. Burman. “Hippocampal Connectivity with the Visual and Motor Systems Reflects the Cognitive Requirements of the Task.” Society for Neuroscience, Chicago, IL, USA.
Book Chapters
2021
Torin Hopkins, S. S. Bae, J. Uhr, Amy Banić, C. Zheng, and Ellen Yi-Luen Do. “User Interfaces in Smart Cities.” Handbook of Smart Cities, Springer.
Teaching
2022
Instructor of Record, Creative Technology (Masters, ATLAS Institute, CU Boulder)
2021
Instructor of Record, Sound (50+ students, CU Boulder)
2020
Teaching Assistant, Sound (ATLAS Institute, CU Boulder)
2014
Teaching Assistant, Neurobiology (University of Chicago)
Invited Talks, Keynotes & Workshops
2026
Guest Lecture, Building Brain-Computer Interfaces, Rochester Institute of Technology, NY
2024–25
Workshop Organizer, AI and Music, School of Music, CU Boulder
2024–25
Guest Speaker, Music, Minds, and Machines, School of Music, CU Boulder
2024
Opening Keynote, AI and Music Conference, Bowdoin College, ME
2024
Guest Lecture, AI, Music, and the Brain, Bowdoin College, ME
2024
Guest Lecture, Computer Science and the Arts, National University of Singapore
2024
Guest Lecture, Neurohacking, University of Colorado
2024
Guest Speaker, Music Tech Hackathon, NCKU, Taiwan
2023
Guest Speaker, Advances in AI and Neurotech for Music, Tainan University
2023
Guest Lecture, Neurohacking, University of Colorado
2019–20
Survey of Music Technology for Teaching, Performance, and Creative Technology (10-workshop series)
2015
Panelist, “Music: There’s a Science to That!”, Chicago C-STEM, SAIC
Service
2025–26
Paper Chair, IEEE Internet of Sounds, MuseMet
2024–Present
Board Director of Technology, Studios Education Platform
2022–25
Reviewer, ACM CHI Conference (incl. CHI 2026)
2025
Reviewer, ACM TEI 2026
2024
Reviewer, ACM TEI
2024
Reviewer, ACM UbiComp
2021–24
Reviewer, ACM DIS
2023
Reviewer, AI Music Creativity Conference
2021–24
Student Grant Representative, ATLAS Institute (CU Boulder)
2019–23
Co-Organizer, Boulder Experiments in Art and Technology
2018–19
Volunteer, Chicago Innovation
2016–19
Volunteer, Design Museum of Chicago
2009–13
President, Musicians United (SIUC)
2009–13
President & Treasurer, SIUC Hillel
2009–13
Volunteer, Highland Park Hospital (E.R. and Cancer Treatment, approx. 4,000 hours)
Performances & Exhibitions
2026
CrowdForge — IEEE Internet of Sounds, Cannes, France; CU Boulder
2026
Quantum Music — Boston
2023
Rhythmic Conversations — Brighton, United Kingdom; CU Boulder
2022–2023
HoloJam — ATLAS Institute Expo, CU Boulder
2022
Stringesthesia — ATLAS Black Box Theater, Boulder
2021
Galaga's Ghost — Museum of Boulder
2020
The Jam Station — MakerMade Exhibition, Boulder
1997–Present
Performing musician: guitar, voice, music technology