Open positions in philosophy of physics: Scientific Collaborator and PhD Fellowship – Geneva Symmetry Group

The Department of Philosophy, University of Geneva invites applications for two positions for Christian Wüthrich’s new SNSF‐funded project PHILOSOPHY BEYOND STANDARD PHYSICS:

– one 4-year Scientific Collaborator (100%), and
– one 4-year PhD Fellowship.

The project will be housed at the Geneva Symmetry Group, which is part of the Department of Philosophy of the University of Geneva (https://genevasymmetrygroup.wordpress.com/).

The positions will start on 1 September 2022 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Postdoctoral Associate, History and Philosophy of Science, Pittsburgh

Applications are invited for a postdoctoral associate position in the philosophy of physics at the University of Pittsburgh, affiliated to the Department of History and Philosophy of Science and the Department of Philosophy. The position will be supervised by David Wallace, and applicants should intend to pursue a course of research in an area of philosophy of physics related to Professor Wallace’s research activities (which include inter alia the interpretation of quantum mechanics, the role of symmetry in physics, quantum field theory, statistical mechanics and thermodynamics, and quantum gravity). The postdoctoral associate may be asked to carry out some minor administrative work to assist Professor Wallace’s research, amounting to at most 10% of their time-averaged over the period of appointment; the remainder of their time is available for their own research project.

2nd CFA: ‘Cosmology Beyond Spacetime’ Summer Institute, 26 June – 1 July 2022

2nd Call for Applications:

International Summer Institute in Philosophy of Physics on the PHILOSOPHY OF COSMOLOGY and the PHILOSOPHY OF QUANTUM GRAVITY

Hosted by the University of Geneva-University of Illinois at Chicago Cosmology Beyond Spacetime project

Hotel Le Crêt, Morzine, France 

26 June – 2 July 2022

Further information, when available, at http://beyondspacetime.net/2022summerinstitute/.

In recent years, the philosophy of quantum gravity and the philosophy of cosmology have emerged as new fields in their own right, with several summer schools dedicated to each. However, they remain largely unconnected, even though their intersection promises new scientific insights of great significance to philosophical question and the advancement of physics. This Summer Institute proposes to address conceptual, metaphysical, and epistemological implications of big bang, black hole, and multiverse models in quantum gravity: the fundamental nature of space and time, especially the beginning of spacetime, ‘before’ time or ‘outside’ space; the multiverse; the nature of physical law; and how we might have knowledge of such things.

These are just some of the questions that we will discuss in this Summer Institute, which addresses graduate students and postdocs from philosophy of physics and related fields.

Faculty:

Call for Abstracts: “Quantum Epistemology Beyond Quantum Measurement”

Call for Abstracts: “Quantum Epistemology Beyond Quantum Measurement” (QEBQM)

Early Career Summer Seminar Retreat

August 17 to 21, 2022

Description

Recent work on the interconnections between formal epistemology and foundations of quantum mechanics has prompted exciting developments on important philosophical questions. For example:

• Are there objective probabilities in quantum theories? If so, what grounds them?
• Might all the probabilities in quantum theory be subjective, the partial beliefs of an agent?
• Are there compelling justifications for partial beliefs about quantum systems that do not depend on a particular solution to the measurement problem?
• What implications does quantum theory have for the belief structure of rational agents and vice versa?

This retreat gathers early-career scholars working on these or closely related questions.

CFA: CEU summer course on the history and philosophy of laws and probabilities

There will be a summer course organized by Barry Loewer at CEU in Budapest July 11-22 on laws and probabilities.

For more information, including on how to apply, please visit https://summeruniversity.ceu.edu/courses/history-and-philosophy-concepts-scientific-law-and-probability

Western: Philosophy of Logic, Mathematics, and Physics (LMP) Graduate Conference

The 21^st annual Philosophy of Logic, Mathematics, and Physics Graduate Conference will take place on June 23-24, 2022. We are pleased to announce that Craig Callender (University of California, San Diego) will be giving the keynote address. 

Call for Papers:
Graduate students who have not yet defended their PhD thesis are invited to submit papers on any topic in philosophy of logic, philosophy of mathematics, and philosophy of physics. Papers in philosophy of physics will be considered for the Annual Clifton Memorial book prize. The contest will be adjudicated by philosophy of physics faculty members at Western. 

6 PhD positions in history, philosophy or sociology of science (Wuppertal)

The Research Training Group (Graduiertenkolleg, GRK) 2696 “Transformations of science and technology since 1800: topics, processes, institutions” at the University of Wuppertal, Germany, (funded by the German Research Foundation) is seeking

6 doctoral candidates,

who will be starting their employment with a postgraduate scholarship (six months) which is followed by three years as research assistant (f/m/d) at 65% of standard working hours (paygrade: E 13 TV-L) from April 1st, 2022 for a time of three and a half years maximum.

Call for nominations: 2021 Hanneke Janssen Memorial Prize

The Jury would like to issue a call for nominations for the 2021 Hanneke Janssen Memorial Prize, which is awarded annually for the best work in History and/or  Philosophy of Modern Physics, done by a student as a requirement for a Masters Thesis. The prize carries a 2000 euro award. Nominations for this Prize need to be submitted by a supervisor of the nominee before November 14, 2021. We would also like to issue a special encouragement for the nomination of candidates from underrepresented groups. 

Recent winners of the HJMP include Emilia Margoni, Grace Field, Ruward Mulder, James Read, Neil Dewar and Ben Feintzeig.

HAPP Scholarship in the History & Philosophy of Physics

St Cross College, Oxford, offers a three-year fellowship for research students who will begin studying for a DPhil in the History of Physics or a DPhil in the Philosophy of Physics at the University of Oxford in October 2022.

Details may be found via the following link:
https://www.stx.ox.ac.uk/happ-scholarship-physics

JUNIOR FELLOWSHIP in PHILOSOPHY OF QUANTUM GRAVITY

University of Illinois at Chicago

The philosophy of physics group at the Department of Philosophy at UIC solicits applications for a junior visiting fellowship for advanced PhD students, starting January 2022 or as soon as possible thereafter. The position is funded by the John Templeton Foundation grant ‘Cosmology Beyond Spacetime’.

Candidates must be ABD in a PhD program at an accredited university, working on a dissertation related to the philosophy of quantum gravity or cosmology, broadly construed. The fellowship will provide support for the successful candidate to spend six months away from their home institution to work with the project’s UIC group led by Professor Nick Huggett, and to benefit from interactions with project members and from participation in the project’s activities. The successful candidate will participate in a tutoring program directed by Professor Huggett. They will be expected to participate in weekly group meetings during term, help with the administration and organization of the group’s activities, and contribute to the group’s research and outreach efforts. More information on the project and the research group is available at http://beyondspacetime.net/.

The fellowship is fixed-term for six months, to be negotiated with the successful candidate. The salary is $15,000 for six months. Research funds will be available for travel to relevant conferences and to visit the project’s other group at the University of Geneva. The successful candidate must remain enrolled as a full-time student at their home institution, and will not be admitted into any degree program at UIC. The fellowship will not cover any costs (such as tuition and fees) at the home institution.

Applications must contain a cover letter detailing the pertinent experience and motivation for the position, a CV, a 1-2 page description of the dissertation project, one writing sample, and two letters of reference (sent under separate cover). They should be sent to Professor Nick Huggett at huggett@uic.edu.

Review of the files will begin on October 11, 2021 and continue until the position is filled. Candidates files may be reviewed by qualified members of the Scientific Advisory Committee, and the best qualified candidate will be selected by Professors Huggett and Wüthrich.

Applications from women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans are encouraged.

For more information, please contact Professor Nick Huggett at huggett@uic.edu.