About
Alyssa Ney is a leading Professor of Philosophy at Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich (LMU), holding the Chair of Metaphysics within the Faculty of Philosophy, Philosophy of Science, and Religious Studies. Her work bridges metaphysics with the philosophy of physics and mind, focusing on the interpretation of quantum theories, fundamentality, and the unity of science.
- Education: PhD in Philosophy (Brown University), MS in Physics (UC Davis), BS in Physics and Philosophy (Tulane University)
- Previous appointments: UC Davis (2019-2024), University of Rochester (2005-2019)
Ney’s research explores the metaphysical implications of quantum mechanics, particularly wave function realism and its challenges in grounding macro-objects. She investigates the relationship between quantum theory and classical conceptions of space, time, and causation, with a focus on locality and nonlocality. Her work also addresses physicalism, mental causation, and the methodology of metaphysical inquiry.
Recent publications include analyses of density matrix realism (“Is the Universe Fundamentally a Density Matrix?”), many-worlds interpretations (“Branching (Almost) Everywhere and All At Once”), and the metaphysical status of spacetime in quantum gravity contexts. She was awarded the 2025 Patrick Suppes Prize for her book The World in the Wave Function and the 2024 Humboldt Foundation Bessel Award.
- Scientific Awards
- Patrick Suppes Prize (2025)
- Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award (2024)
- FQxI Essay Contest Second Prize (2018)
- Elsie Field Dupre Prize in Physics (1999)
Ney actively mentors underrepresented scholars in philosophy of science and serves on editorial boards for Philosophy of Physics and British Journal for the Philosophy of Science. She has organized workshops connecting metaphysics with philosophy of physics and quantum interpretation.
