About Me
I’m a PhD candidate and Teaching Associate in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. My research lies at the intersection of metaphysics and the philosophy of science, with a particular focus on the metaphysics of higher-level sciences and scientific success. Broadly, my research asks what the predictive and explanatory success of the sciences tells us about the structure of the world, and how we should understand the metaphysical and causal relations that make possible both the unity and autonomy of the sciences, especially with respect to biological, psychological, and social sciences.
Before coming to UMass, I earned my MA from the University of Chicago and taught as an adjunct instructor at several colleges in the Kansas City area. I hold a BA in anthropology and philosophy from the University of Kansas, achieving several honors, notably Phi Beta Kappa.
I also maintain active interests in political philosophy, Early Modern philosophy, and Buddhist philosophy. Outside of academic work, I have a long-standing passion for music and the visual arts. I’ve played guitar and violin since childhood and spent years recording and performing in the Kansas City DIY music scene. I also enjoy swimming, weightlifting, cooking, reading German literature, and 90s eurodance.