Jamee Elder

Jamee Elder is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Tufts University, with a research focus on the methodology and epistemology of large astrophysical experiments. She is affiliated with Harvard University’s Black Hole Initiative (BHI) and co-leads the Algorithms, Inference, and Visualization focus group within the Next Generation Event Horizon Telescope (ngEHT) Collaboration's HP&C Working Group.

Education:

• Ph.D./M.A. in History and Philosophy of Science (University of Notre Dame)
• M.Phil. in Philosophy (University of Cambridge)
• B.A. (Hons)/B.Sc. in Philosophy (University of Canterbury)

Her research examines how models and simulations are embedded in experimental methods, particularly in black hole observations via LIGO-Virgo and the Event Horizon Telescope. She explores the epistemic implications of these methods for inferring astrophysical systems.

Teaching: Regularly teaches courses in Philosophy of Science and Philosophy of Technology at Tufts. Her courses emphasize critical analysis of scientific practices and technological impacts.

Professional Experience:

• Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard’s Black Hole Initiative (2020–2023)
• Heinrich Hertz Fellow, University of Bonn (2019–2020)

Her work bridges philosophy of science with cutting-edge astrophysics, focusing on robustness, theory mediation, and collaborative scientific practices.