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Braxton Boren
Assistant Professor of Audio Technology, American University
Professional Background
Braxton Boren is a highly accomplished academic and researcher specializing in the interdisciplinary applications of science and technology within the realms of music and the humanities. With a deep passion for acoustics, psychoacoustics, 3D audio, digital signal processing, and music theory, Braxton has made a significant impact through his innovative research and teaching. His commitment to integrating diverse fields of study has not only enriched his own work but has profoundly influenced students and peers alike in understanding the intricate relationships between music, technology, and human experience.
Currently, Braxton serves as an Assistant Professor at American University, where he imparts his knowledge and expertise to the next generation of musicians and technologists. His role allows him to blend his academic rigor with practical insights, helping students bridge the gap between theoretical understanding and real-world applications.
Before his tenure at American University, Braxton's academic journey took him to Princeton University as a Postdoctoral Researcher. His time at Princeton, renowned for its focus on cutting-edge research, allowed Braxton to collaborate with some of the brightest minds in his field, further honing his research skills and broadening his academic perspectives.
Prior to that, he worked as an Adjunct Instructor at New York University, where he shared his passion for music technology and explored its intricate connections with traditional music theory. His experience at NYU was instrumental in shaping his teaching methods and cultivating a classroom environment that encourages creativity and critical thinking.
Braxton’s journey in academia began with a series of prestigious research positions. As a Spatial Sound Researcher at the U.S. Army Research Lab, he focused on applying his acoustical expertise to support advanced military technologies, demonstrating the real-world impact of his studies. His foundational research experiences include graduate positions at both New York University and the University of Cambridge, where he laid the groundwork for his future academic endeavors.
Throughout his career, Braxton has held numerous roles in academia and education, including serving as a Substitute Teacher at Abilene Independent School District, and working as an Admissions Counselor and Data Researcher at Northwestern University. Each of these roles has contributed to his comprehensive understanding of educational frameworks and student engagement.
Education and Achievements
Braxton's educational background is as impressive as his professional career. He pursued a PhD in Music Technology at New York University, where his research delved into the intricacies of sound, technology, and their interplay in musical contexts. His doctoral studies provided him with advanced knowledge and skills that he continues to apply in both research and teaching.
Before earning his PhD, Braxton completed an MPhil in Physics at the esteemed University of Cambridge. This rigorous program allowed him to explore the scientific foundations of sound, solidifying his expertise in psychoacoustics and other key areas of music technology. Additionally, his undergraduate studies at Northwestern University culminated in a B.A. in Music Technology, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. This distinction is a testament to his academic prowess and dedication to his field.
Throughout his academic journey, Braxton also had the honor of being a Gates Cambridge Scholar, an achievement that recognizes exceptional students from around the world who show leadership potential. This prestigious scholarship provided him with unique opportunities to collaborate with global scholars and explore in-depth research topics that continue to resonate in his current work.
Achievements
Braxton's contributions to the field of music technology and interdisciplinary research are noteworthy. Through his academic research, he has published numerous papers and articles that have advanced understanding in areas such as acoustics, psychoacoustics, and digital signal processing. Braxton's commitment to pushing the boundaries of traditional music theory into new, interdisciplinary territories has gained recognition among peers, educators, and students alike.
His innovative approaches not only enhance the academic community’s understanding of music technology but also pave the way for future researchers to explore the fascinating intersections between technology and the arts. Braxton’s work exemplifies the dynamic and evolving nature of music and sound in a technologically driven society.
In the classroom, Braxton is known for fostering an engaging, hands-on learning environment that encourages students to experiment and explore the interfaces of music and technology. His teaching pedagogy reflects his deep appreciation for the interconnectedness of scientific principles and artistic expression, ensuring that his students receive a well-rounded education that prepares them for future challenges in their careers.
Braxton Boren’s unique blend of academic qualifications, research experience, and teaching philosophy positions him as a leading figure in the field of music technology. As he continues to advance his own research while inspiring students at American University, his contributions to both science and the humanities will undoubtedly leave a lasting legacy in the interdisciplinary landscape of music and technology.
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Clay works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
Clay offers several powerful features including:
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Clay is designed for anyone who values maintaining meaningful relationships. The app is popular among a wide range of industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. It’s even used by half the Fortune 500! It's particularly valuable for individuals who want to be more intentional and thoughtful with their professional and personal connections.
Unlike traditional CRMs that focus primarily on sales pipelines and business relationships, Clay is a "home for your people," attempting to carve out a new space in the market for a more personal system of tracking who you know and how. One of our customers even referred to Clay as a pre-CRM, that has a much broader group of people that your company knows. Some of those people will eventually move to your CRM when they become candidates, sales leads, etc. Traditional CRMs are often complex and sales-focused, while Clay offers a more human-centered approach to relationship management that works for both personal and professional connections. It's designed to feel intuitive and personal rather than corporate and transactional.
Clay takes privacy seriously. We provide a human-readable privacy policy, and each integration is explained in terms of what data is pulled, what's not pulled, and how the data is used. Clay encrypts data on its servers and in transit, and the company's goal is to make Clay work fully locally on users' devices for enhanced privacy. Clay is also SOC 2 Type 2 certified.
Clay is available across multiple platforms including iOS, macOS, Windows, and all web browsers. Clay is especially strong for Apple users, offering Mac, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS apps with deep native integrations on each platform. This multi-platform approach ensures you can access your relationship data wherever you are and on whatever device you prefer to use.
Clay offers tiered pricing options to suit different needs. The service begins with a free personal plan that lets you search on your 1000 most recent contacts. Clay offers a Pro Plan ($10 when billed annually) with unlimited contacts. Clay for Teams starts at $49/month/seat. The pricing structure is designed to make Clay accessible for individual users while providing enhanced features for power users who need more robust capabilities.
Yes, Clay offers extensive integration capabilities. Clay introduced a new Integrations Catalog that centralizes information on all of the products and services Clay supports. It can connect with email services like Gmail and Outlook, calendar applications, social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter, messaging platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp, and even Notion for knowledge management. Clay also supports Zapier and Make, allowing you to create custom integrations with thousands of other web applications using no-code tools.
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Clay is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Clay stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Clay excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
Clay is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
Clay offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Clay's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Clay has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Clay offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Clay focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Clay also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Clay offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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Clay's AI capabilities are at the forefront of personal CRM innovation. Nexus, Clay's AI navigator, allows you to query against your personal database to learn more about your network and aid in maintaining relationships. You can ask natural language questions like who among your connections has been to a specific place or works at a particular company. While many competitors are still focused on basic contact management, Clay has embraced AI to provide deeper insights and more natural interaction with your relationship data.
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