Mara Harrell

Mara Harrell is a Senior Lecturer with a joint appointment in the Philosophy Department and the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science at the University of California San Diego. Her work bridges philosophy, education, and public health, focusing on critical thinking pedagogy and ethical dimensions of science and technology.

Expertise includes argumentation theory, ethics in public health decision-making, and philosophy of physics. Her research emphasizes improving educational practices through argument mapping, analyzing epistemic challenges in digital platforms, and addressing ethical implications of emerging technologies.

Recent publications explore topics like crowdsourcing knowledge dynamics, interlevel causation in science, and leveraging AI for writing instruction. She has contributed to debates on facial recognition ethics, expert verification systems, and crisis-era pedagogical innovations.

Her work intersects disciplinary boundaries, combining philosophical rigor with applied educational strategies and public health ethics frameworks. Active in curriculum development, she advocates for evidence-based teaching methods that foster analytical and ethical reasoning skills.