Emma Tobin

Prof Emma Tobin serves as Professor of Philosophy of Science in the Department of Science and Technology Studies at University College London (UCL), within the Faculty of Mathematical and Physical Sciences. Appointed in October 2020 following promotions from Lecturer (2010) to Associate Professor (2016), she has held significant administrative roles including Undergraduate Tutor (2013-2016), Deputy Head of Department (2018-2019), and co-Head of Department (2019-2024). Currently on research sabbatical for 2024/25, she maintains active scholarly engagement.

Her academic formation includes a B.A. from University College Dublin and Ph.D. from Trinity College Dublin (awarded 2006), funded by the Irish Research Council. Her doctoral work 'On the Disunity of the Sciences and Ceteris Paribus Laws' was examined by Prof. Stephen Mumford, with supplementary research conducted at Cambridge's Department of History and Philosophy of Science under Peter Lipton in 2005.

Tobin's research program centers on the metaphysics of science, particularly natural kinds and laws, extending to philosophy of science in practice through classification studies in chemistry, biology, and astronomy. Her integrated history and philosophy of chemistry work examines chemical practices and theory choice, complemented by broader investigations into causation, explanation, scientific realism, and epistemological challenges in big data classification. This interdisciplinary approach bridges metaphysical inquiry with empirical scientific practice.

Publication analysis reveals sustained focus on natural kinds across disciplines, with recent work examining conceptual evolution in physics (e.g., 'lattice' terminology) and historical studies of chemical practices. Her scholarship demonstrates consistent engagement with classification systems and theoretical frameworks from 2008 through 2021 publications.

As a dedicated supervisor, Tobin has guided five PhD candidates to completion: Stephanie Ratcliffe (2014), Yafeng Shan (2015), Toby Friend (2017), Rory Jubber (2020), and current Windsor BAME Fellow Ryan Francis. Her research contributions include participation in the AHRC-sponsored Metaphysics of Science Project (2006-2010) and ongoing exploration of scientific classification systems.

Within UCL's Department of Science and Technology Studies, Tobin contributes to an interdisciplinary environment examining science-society interactions, maintaining active collaboration through her sabbatical period and continuing leadership in philosophy of science discourse.