Originally from southern California, Iker holds a PhD in Music History and Theory from the University of Chicago and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Piano Performance and Mathematics from Scripps College. Before joining MIT Music, Iker taught music theory, music history, and aural skills at the University of Tampa, University of Notre Dame, New York University, and the University of Chicago. In addition to core music subjects, she has also taught seminars on dance, opera, and musical theater.
Iker has presented her research at regional, national, and international conferences, including the national meeting of the Society for Music Theory. Beyond Stravinsky, her research and teaching interests include musical theater, music perception/cognition, dance, other approaches to twentieth-century neoclassicism, and the digital humanities.