Find Academic Supervisors

John MacFarlaneView profile

Professor

• Philosophy of Language
• Philosophical Logic
• Metaphysics
• +8 more

John MacFarlane is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of California, Berkeley , with affiliations to the Group in Logic and the Methodology of Science and co-organizer roles in the Meaning Sciences Club and Townsend Center Working Group . His research spans philosophy of language, philosophical logic, metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of mathematics, history of logic , and ancient philosophy , particularly Aristotle . He has held visiting positions at institutions like École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS), Paris . Education : Ph.D. in Philosophy (2000, University of Pittsburgh), M.A. in Classics (1997) and Philosophy (1994), A.B. summa cum laude in Philosophy (1991, Harvard). Research Interests focus on semantic relativism , particularly assessment sensitivity as explored in his book Assessment Sensitivity: Relative Truth and Its Applications (Oxford, 2014). He investigates how epistemic modals and vagueness interact with truth evaluation. His work in philosophical logic includes a textbook Philosophical Logic: A Contemporary Introduction (Routledge, 2021). Secondary interests include ancient philosophy (Aristotle, Plato), formal logic , and fiddlosophy . Article Trends reveal contributions to relativism , epistemic modals , vagueness , and logicism . His recent work (2025) examines Plato’s Protagoras and belief utility , while 2022–2020 articles address semantic indecision and probabilistic knowledge . Earlier works (2008–2000) include foundational studies on Frege, Kant, and Aristotle . Scientific Awards include a 2023 Residential Fellowship at Wissenschaftskolleg, Berlin (declined), 2016–17 Fellow at IEA Paris , and 2015 American Academy of Arts and Sciences membership . He has received multiple Humanities Research Fellowships at Berkeley (2016, 2008, 2003) and Research Enabling Grants (2000–2009). Advising includes supervising 15+ PhD students in areas like logic, epistemology, and philosophy of language . Notable advisees include Richard Lawrence (2017) and Sophie Dandelet (2021). He also guided honors theses at Berkeley, such as Benjamin Logan’s work on epistemic modals (2018). Labs and Teams involve co-organizing the Townsend Center Working Group in History and Philosophy of Logic, Mathematics, and Science and contributing to the Group in Logic and Methodology of Science . His interdisciplinary approach integrates philosophy, logic, and computational tools , including creating Pandoc for document conversion.

Tania LombrozoView profile

Professor

• Cognitive Psychology
• Philosophy of Science
• Moral Philosophy
• +3 more

Tania Lombrozo serves as the Arthur W. Marks ’19 Professor at Princeton University, leading the Concepts and Cognition Lab where she investigates the psychological and philosophical dimensions of human reasoning. Her work uniquely integrates empirical methods from cognitive science with conceptual frameworks from analytic philosophy. Her academic background includes a Ph.D. from Harvard University, establishing her foundation in interdisciplinary research approaches. Lombrozo's research centers on the human drive to explain, examining why we seek explanations for certain phenomena but not others, how explanation-seeking affects learning, and whether explanatory processes serve epistemic goals or introduce reasoning errors. She explores connections between causal reasoning, moral responsibility, and intuitive theories of knowledge, drawing from cognitive, social, and developmental psychology alongside philosophy of science and moral philosophy. Her methodology emphasizes experimental rigor while addressing normative questions about ideal reasoning. Analysis of her 2024-2025 publications reveals dominant themes in explanation evaluation across scientific and moral contexts, with significant attention to jargon in science communication, simplicity principles (Ockham’s razor), and moral responsibility in collective action. Her work increasingly addresses AI-human interaction, particularly how explanations influence trust in large language models and the cognitive effects of chain-of-thought reasoning. Notable honors include: Arthur W. Marks ’19 Professorship Excellence in Mentoring Graduate Students Award Lombrozo actively mentors graduate students including Sarah Joo, Casey Lewry, and Sebastian Montesinos, with research supported by interdisciplinary grants spanning cognitive science, ethics education, and technology policy. Her Concepts and Cognition Lab functions as a collaborative hub where philosophical questions are tested through behavioral experiments, contributing to both theoretical advances and practical applications in science communication and AI design.

Kevin KellyView profile

Professor

• Ockham's Razor
• Epistemology
• Formal Learning Theory
• +7 more

Kevin Kelly is a Professor of Philosophy at Carnegie Mellon University and the Director of the Center for Formal Epistemology. His work bridges formal epistemology, computational learning theory, and philosophy of science, with a focus on Ockham's razor, belief revision, and the topology of inquiry. Key Research Areas: Ockham's Razor, Epistemology, Formal Learning Theory, Modal Epistemic Logic, and Interdisciplinary Applications of Topology. Grants: John Templeton Foundation grant for research on truth-finding efficiency and scientific simplicity. Scientific Awards: John Templeton Foundation grant (2018–2021) Kelly's publications emphasize connections between probabilistic reasoning and qualitative belief, solutions to the lottery paradox, and computational models of knowledge acquisition. His recent work explores lighting design, human-centric ergonomics, and machine learning epistemology, reflecting a deep interdisciplinary engagement with technology and science.

Eric HagedornView profile

Associate Professor

• Medieval Philosophy
• History of Philosophy
• Philosophical Theology
• +2 more

Eric Hagedorn is Associate Professor of Philosophy at St. Norbert College specializing in medieval and early modern philosophy. His research focuses on William of Ockham, Aquinas, and fourteenth-century voluntarism, examining concepts of divine freedom and theological authority. Hagedorn has edited and translated Ockham's ethical writings and serves as co-director of faculty development. Education includes B.S. from Iowa State University and M.A./Ph.D. from University of Notre Dame. Teaches courses in medieval philosophy, Aquinas, and logic.

Jonathan SchafferView profile

Professor

• Metaphysics
• Epistemology
• Philosophy of Language
• +3 more

Jonathan Schaffer is Distinguished Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, where he also serves as Director of Graduate Placement. He received his Ph.D. from Rutgers in 1999 and has held academic positions at the University of Houston, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, and Australian National University before returning to Rutgers in 2011. His primary research focuses on metaphysics, particularly the concept of fundamentality and reviving classical monism—the view that the cosmos as a whole is fundamental. His secondary research spans epistemology (contrastive knowledge), philosophy of language (contextual semantics), and philosophy of science (laws of nature). Recent work explores connections between grounding theory and cognitive science. Schaffer's publications demonstrate consistent focus on metaphysical foundations with emerging interdisciplinary approaches. His articles from 2015-2020 show developing interests in: Structural equation modeling applied to metaphysical explanation Empirical studies of folk metaphysics Social ontology and feminist metaphysics Quantum holism and fundamentality Interactions between grounding and causation His scholarly recognition includes: APA Article Prize (2008) AJP Best Paper Award (2008) Young Epistemologist Prize (2002) Philosophy of Science Recent Ph.D. Essay Contest (2001) Selection among ten best philosophy articles (Philosopher's Annual 2009) As Director of Graduate Placement, Schaffer oversees doctoral career development but specific advising relationships and grant activities aren't detailed in available sources.

Conor Mayo-WilsonView profile

Assistant Professor

• Analytic Philosophy
• Decision and Game Theory
• Epistemology
• +8 more

Conor Mayo-Wilson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Washington, part of the College of Arts & Sciences. He holds a Ph.D. (2012) and two M.S. degrees (2009) from Carnegie Mellon University, along with B.S./B.A. degrees (2006) in Mathematics and Philosophy from Stanford University. His research focuses on formal and social epistemology, philosophy of science/mathematics, decision/game theory, and logic. Key areas include causal inference, testimonial norms in science, and the epistemology of probability. Education: Ph.D. Philosophy, Carnegie Mellon University (2012) M.S. Logic, Computation, and Methodology (2009) M.S. Mathematics (2009) B.A. Philosophy (Honors), Stanford University (2006) B.S. Mathematics, Stanford University (2006) Research interests span formal epistemology (scoring rules, imprecise credences), social epistemology (scientific collaboration, testimony reliability), and foundational issues in science/mathematics (causality, historical developments). Notable publications include work on structural chaos, wisdom of crowds dynamics, and the independence thesis in group epistemology. Awards include the Josephine de Karman Fellowship (2010-2011) and Stanford’s Chick D’Arpino Prize (2003). Teaching includes courses on philosophy of mathematics, epistemology, probability, and the scientific revolution. He coordinates the MA program at the Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy and has organized conferences like FEW 2017. His work integrates computational models (e.g., agent-based simulations) to study epistemic processes and scientific communities.

Giovanni IaccaView profile

Researcher

• Machine Learning
• Evolutionary Algorithms
• Optimization
• +5 more

Giovanni Iacca is affiliated with the University of Trento , where he contributes to research in computational intelligence and optimization. His work spans evolutionary algorithms, memetic computing, and constrained optimization, often intersecting with engineering and applied machine learning. Research interests include Memetic Computing Evolutionary Algorithms Optimization Problems Neural Architecture Design Social Network Analysis Sensor Networks His publications reveal a focus on hybridizing evolutionary methods with adaptive strategies (e.g., Super-fit Multicriteria Adaptive Differential Evolution ), constrained optimization techniques (e.g., Memetic Viability Evolution ), and applications in sensor networks and social systems. He frequently collaborates with researchers like Ferrante Neri, E. Mininno, and D. Floreano.

Michael HuemerView profile

Professor

• Epistemology
• Ethics
• Metaethics
• +5 more

Michael Huemer is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Colorado Boulder since 1998. He specializes in epistemology, ethics, metaethics, political philosophy, metaphysics, and the philosophy of mind. His research explores topics like ethical intuitionism, skepticism, political authority, moral objectivity, and free will. Notable works include The Problem of Political Authority and Ethical Intuitionism . He critiques foundational assumptions in ethics and political theory, advocating for moral realism and libertarian principles. Education: PhD in Philosophy from Rutgers University (1998). His research interests span epistemological challenges to skepticism, the justification of beliefs, and critiques of political coercion. He argues against immigration restrictions, drug prohibition, and unjust legal systems. Publications include over 50 peer-reviewed articles and several books, addressing topics from quantum mechanics interpretations to jury nullification ethics. His work often emphasizes rationality, epistemic humility, and the limits of governmental authority.

Stephanie DenisonView profile

Associate Professor

• Developmental Psychology
• Cognitive Development
• Probabilistic Reasoning
• +4 more

Stephanie Denison is an Associate Professor and Associate Chair of Undergraduate Affairs at the University of Waterloo. Her research focuses on developmental psychology, particularly how children develop reasoning abilities related to probability, counterfactual thinking, and social cognition. Her work explores topics such as causal attribution, sunk cost fallacy, social network inference, and decision-making strategies in children. She has published extensively on probabilistic reasoning in infants and preschoolers, demonstrating how young children use statistical information to form beliefs about the world. Her recent studies investigate children's understanding of counterfactual scenarios (e.g., 'What if I had done something differently?'), their ability to infer emotions based on probabilistic outcomes, and their reasoning about social relationships through mutual connections. Denison also examines how children integrate physical constraints and emotional factors into their decision-making processes. Her contributions span cognitive development, philosophy of mind, and educational psychology, with a strong emphasis on bridging theoretical models with empirical findings from developmental research.

Gonzalo Rodriguez-PereyraView profile

Professor

• Metaphysics
• Epistemology
• Philosophy of Mind
• +3 more

Professor Gonzalo Rodriguez-Pereyra is a CUF Lecturer at the University of Oxford's Faculty of Philosophy , a Tutorial Fellow and Senior Tutor at Oriel College , and holds a professorship at the University of Nottingham and the Universidad Torcuato Di Tella (UTDT) in Buenos Aires. He focuses on metaphysics, epistemology, and early modern philosophy, particularly Leibniz and Descartes. Education: Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (Licenciado en Filosofia, 1991) University of Cambridge (MPhil, 1995; PhD, 1998) Research Interests: His work explores the Problem of Universals , Identity of Indiscernibles , and Metaphysical Nihilism . He is a leading scholar on Leibniz's metaphysics and has contributed extensively to truthmaker theory and analytic philosophy . Key Articles: Recent publications address topics like the metaphysics of absence , optimism in Enlightenment philosophy , and the compatibility of grounding theory with strict order . His work spans nominalism , epistemology , and 17th-century philosophical debates . Advising: He supervises graduate research in metaphysics and early modern philosophy, particularly Descartes, Locke, and Leibniz . Non-academically, he plays tennis and attends tournaments.

Léonor-Jo BarnardView profile

Researcher

• Victorian Literature
• Visual Perception
• Literature and Visual Culture
• +5 more

Léonor-Jo Barnard is a DPhil Candidate at St Edmund Hall, University of Oxford, affiliated with the English Faculty. Their research bridges Victorian literature, art theory, and eco-criticism, focusing on Thomas Hardy’s ecological aesthetic and landscape portrayal. Supervised by Professor Stefano Evangelista Teaching Experience: Graduate Teaching Assistant for 'Seeing Things: Poetry and the Visual Arts' (Michaelmas 2024) Research Interests: Victorian literature, visual perception, environmental studies, and eco-criticism, with a focus on Hardy’s artistic education and depiction of landscapes (seascapes, vegetation, hillscapes, skyscapes) influenced by John Ruskin. Conference Contributions: Presented papers on ecological consciousness in Hardy’s works at institutions like Sorbonne Université, Christ-Church College, and The 26th International Thomas Hardy Conference. Publications: Published a review of Ockham’s Razor – Tess at the Oxford Playhouse in the Thomas Hardy Journal (Spring 2025).

Scott McLennanView profile

Professor

• Planetary Geochemistry
• Sedimentary Geochemistry
• Mars Geology
• +3 more

Scott McLennan is a Distinguished Toll Professor at Stony Brook University, specializing in planetary geochemistry and Mars geology. Since 1987, he has been a faculty member and has participated in numerous Mars missions, including Spirit, Opportunity, Curiosity, Perseverance, and InSight. Education: B.Sc.(Hon) and M.Sc. from the University of Western Ontario (1975, 1977), Ph.D. from Australian National University (1981) Key Roles: Research Fellow (Australian National University, 1981-1986); Visiting positions at Caltech, Wrocław University, Lamont-Doherty, Oxford, and ETH Zürich McLennan’s research focuses on evaluating planetary crusts and surficial processes using sedimentary rock compositions. His work integrates geochemical, mineralogical, and seismic data to model Mars' crustal evolution and surface environments. His recent publications emphasize Martian crustal modeling, seismic structure analysis, and rover mission data interpretation. Articles span topics like: Isotopic and geochemical constraints on Mars composition Sedimentary provenance in Jezero and Gale craters Crustal differentiation and mantle composition Seismic wave propagation and crustal thickness Geochemical implications for exoplanetary systems Scientific awards include: Geoscience Information Society's 2010 Award for Best Reference Work for the book Planetary Crusts: Their Composition, Origin, and Evolution McLennan has supervised approximately 20 students and postdocs on Mars-related research. He contributed to mission planning for Curiosity and Perseverance, integrating geochemical data with seismic findings from InSight.

Gordon BelotView profile

Professor

• Philosophy of Physics
• Philosophy of Science
• Metaphysics
• +3 more

Gordon Belot is the Lawrence Sklar Collegiate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He has held academic positions at Princeton University, New York University, and the University of Pittsburgh. His research focuses on philosophy of physics, philosophy of science, metaphysics, and epistemology, with recent work exploring cosmological implications of the accelerating universe and geometric possibility. Belot holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Pittsburgh (1996), M.Sc. in Mathematics (1993), and B.Sc. in Mathematics and Philosophy (1991) from the University of Toronto. Belot's key awards include the 2014 Lakatos Award for his book Geometric Possibility and fellowships from the National Science Foundation, ACLS, and Stanford’s Center for Advanced Study. His current projects address general relativity, cosmology boundary conditions, and computable epistemology. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. His work bridges foundational physics and philosophy, analyzing symmetry principles, inter-theory relations, and confirmation theory. Notable contributions include critiques of classical electromagnetism’s consistency, relationalist space frameworks, and Bayesian reasoning challenges.

Murielle WatzkyView profile

Associate Professor

• Biosynthetic Pathways for Metal Nanoparticles
• Nanoparticle Formation Kinetics
• Biosensors
• +3 more

Murielle Watzky is the Department Chair and Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Northern Colorado , College of Natural and Health Sciences. Her research focuses on nanoparticle synthesis, biosensor development, and kinetic modeling of nanomaterials and protein aggregates. Education : Diplome d'Ingenieur (Ecole Superieure de Chimie Industrielle de Lyon), Ph.D. (Wayne State University), Postdoctoral Research (Colorado State University) Research Interests include biosynthetic pathways for silver nanoparticles, experimental probes of noble metal nanoparticle formation, and plasmonic biosensors. She pioneered the Finke-Watzky two-step nucleation and autocatalytic growth model applied to nanomaterials and protein aggregation systems. Scientific Contributions span 15+ years, with seminal work on nanoparticle kinetics (1997), protein aggregation modeling (2008), and biosensor development (2017-2021). Her 2008 review on protein aggregation is a top-10 downloaded article in BBA Proteins and Proteomics, with >300 citations. Awards : Highly Cited Paper (Web of Science) Top 10 Most Downloaded Articles in BBA Proteins and Proteomics Contact: murielle.watzky@unco.edu | Phone: 970-351-3551

Eric BarnesView profile

Professor

• Philosophy of Science
• Scientific Progress
• Scientific Explanation
• +5 more

Eric Barnes is a Professor and Department Chair at Southern Methodist University, specializing in the philosophy of science and ethics. Education: Ph.D. in History and Philosophy of Science from Indiana University Bloomington. Research Interests: His work spans the philosophy of science, focusing on scientific progress, explanation, and the realist–anti-realist debate. Recently, he has explored predictivism, the freedom of the will, and social/political autonomy. Publications: Barnes has contributed extensively to journals such as Noûs, British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, and Philosophical Studies, with a particular emphasis on predictive confirmation and epistemic principles. Teaching: He teaches courses including Liberty, History of Western Philosophy (Ancient), Introduction to Philosophy, and Elementary Logic.