About me

I am a doctoral candidate in philosophy at the University of Wisconsin Madison. My research is primarily focused on philosophy of biology with an emphasis on population genetics. I am especially interested in the intersection of genetics and social issues such as genetic engineering and human population diversity. It is critical to be clear what scientists are saying and doing before evaluating the apparent social consequences of science.

My dissertation is on genetic load—a measure of fitness diversity in a population. This concept has historically been linked to eugenic arguments, but has also had major impacts on our understanding of genetic diversity and natural selection. I disambiguate the concept and explore the scientific and social consequences of these findings.

I also work in social epistemology, formal epistemology, causation, and the history and philosophy of both genetics and measurement.

I previously earned an M.A. in philosophy (2018) from Simon Fraser University and a B.A. in philosophy (2015) from Iowa State University.

Outside of philosophy I enjoy running, cycling, cross-country skiing, kayaking, and sailing—any activity that allows me to feel the weather. And the worse the weather, the more I enjoy being outside! I have also run weekly tabletop role-playing games for over twenty years, often writing my own adventures and settings.