DR. J.Riikka Ahokas

Dr. Riikka Ahokas is a researcher working at the intersection of music education, cognitive music science, and psychology. Her research focuses on the connections between rhythm, sound perception, sensorimotor processes, and cognition. Her expertise spans both the physiological and psychological effects of sound, making her a distinctive scholar in the fields of auditory perception and music cognition.

During the academic year 2021–2022, Ahokas was a Visiting Researcher at the Centre for Neuroscience in Education at the University of Cambridge. Her research has received competitive funding from organizations including the Alfred Kordelin Foundation, the Cultural Foundation of Finland, and the Society for Education, Music and Psychology Research (SEMPRE), which awarded her the Making a Difference Award in 2025.

In addition to her work on rhythm and cognition, Ahokas researches sound environments and sound pollution. Through her podcast, This Is a Sound Pollution-Free Zone, she has promoted public engagement with sound-related research by bringing together leading scholars from diverse disciplines. In 2026, she was invited to speak at the Finnish Institute in Japan seminar on soundscapes and noise pollution.

Ahokas also conducts research and investigative journalism on equality and career development in the music industry, particularly concerning female-identified and non-binary musicians. Her work received an honorable mention at the KOURA Awards in 2022. Through her interdisciplinary, internationally connected, and socially impactful research, Ahokas contributes valuable knowledge to both the scientific community and society at large.