Rob Wilson

Rob Wilson is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Western Australia's School of Humanities, Department of Philosophy. With over 30 years in academia, he has held positions at institutions including Cornell University (PhD 1992), Queen’s University, University of Alberta, and La Trobe University. His research spans philosophy of mind, cognitive science, philosophy of biology, and bioethics, with notable contributions to eugenics studies and disability advocacy.

Education: B.A. (Honours) in Philosophy from UWA, M.A. and PhD from Cornell University as a Fulbright Scholar. He has authored/co-authored over 120 peer-reviewed articles and six books, including Boundaries of the Mind (2004) and The Eugenic Mind Project (2018). Editor of The MIT Encyclopedia of the Cognitive Sciences (1999), which won an American Publishers PROSE Award.

Research Interests: Extensive work on eugenics history, disability ethics, kinship theory, and extended mind theory. Current ARC-funded project 'Keeping Kinship in Mind' explores anthropological and philosophical dimensions of kinship. Community engagement includes founding Philosophy for Children Alberta and leading the Living Archives on Eugenics in Western Canada project.

Key Projects: Co-edits the MIT Press 'Life and Mind' series, chairs the Australasian Association of Philosophy's 'Philosophy in the Community' committee. Recent work addresses transdisciplinary science, Indigenous expertise, and anti-eugenic frameworks.

Awards: Royal Society of Canada Fellow (2009), Leader in Lifelong Learning Award (2012), 2023 School of Humanities Senior Research Award. Active in public philosophy through conferences, media commentary, and educational initiatives like Philosothon and Eurekamp Oz! summer camps.