CV

Note: The information on this page is abridged and is less likely to be as “up to date” as the version of my CV you can find on my Academia.edu page.

Education:

  • Ph.D., Philosophy, Wayne State University, 2013.
  • M.A., Philosophy, Wayne State University, 2010.
  • B.A. (with honors), Philosophy, Michigan State University, 2007.

Areas of Specialization:

  • Ethics of Space Exploration
  • Applied Ethics (including Environmental Ethics)
  • Epistemology
  • Philosophy of Mathematics

Areas of Competence:

  • Logic
  • Ethics
  • Metaphysics

Academic Appointments:

  • Assistant Professor, Wichita State University, 2020-present.
  • Associate Teaching Professor, Wichita State University, 2020.
  • Assistant Teaching Professor, Wichita State University, 2014-2020.
  • Special Lecturer, Oakland University, 2011-2014.
  • Rumble Fellow, Wayne State University, 2008-2009 and 2012-2013.
  • Adjunct Faculty, Oakland Community College, 2011.
  • Graduate Teaching Assistant, Wayne State University, 2009-2012.

Books:

  1. The Value of Science in Space Exploration. Oxford University Press, 2020. Purchase at: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-value-of-science-in-space-exploration-9780190069063 or https://www.amazon.com/Value-Science-Space-Exploration/dp/0190069066/
  2. The Ethics of Space Exploration. Lead editor (with Tony Milligan). Springer 2016. Purchase at: https://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319398259 or https://www.amazon.com/Ethics-Space-Exploration-Society/dp/3319398253/

Publications:

  1. “The Accessible Universe: On the Choice to Require Bodily Modifications for Space Exploration.” In Human Enhancements for Space Missions: Lunar, Martian, and future Missions to the Outer Planets, edited by Konrad Szocik. Springer, forthcoming.
  2. “Myth-Free Space Advocacy Part IV: The Myth of Public Support for Astrobiology.” In Social and Conceptual Issues of Astrobiology, edited by Kelly Smith and Carlos Mariscal. Oxford University Press, forthcoming.
  3. “Where No Planetary Protection Policy Has Gone Before.” International Journal of Astrobiology 18 (2019): 353-361.
  4. “Mars: Science Before Settlement.” Theology and Science 17 (2019): 324-331.
  5. Signatory to A Manifesto for Governing Life on Mars, edited by Robert Cowley. London: King’s College London, 2019.
  6. “Space Settlement: What’s the Rush?” Futures 110 (2019): 56-59.
  7. “The Great Colonization Debate.” With Kelly Smith, Keith Abney, et al. Futures 110 (2019): 4-14.
  8. “Worldship Ethics: Obligations to the Crew.” Journal of the British Interplanetary Society 71 (2018): 53-64.
  9. “Myth-Free Space Advocacy Part III: The Myth of Educational Inspiration.” Space Policy 42 (2018): 24-32.
  10. “Myth-Free Space Advocacy Part II: The Myth of the Space Frontier.” Astropolitics 15 (2017): 167-184.
  11. “Myth-Free Space Advocacy Part I: The Myth of Innate Exploratory and Migratory Urges.” Acta Astronautica 137 (2017): 450-460.
  12. “Some Ethical Constraints on Near-Earth Resource Exploitation.” Lead author with Tony Milligan. In Yearbook on Space Policy 2015, edited by C. Al-Ekabi, C. Baranes, P. Hulsroj, and A. Lahcen, 227-239. Springer 2017.
  13. “On the Methodology of Space Ethics.” In The Ethics of Space Exploration, edited by James S.J. Schwartz and Tony Milligan, 93-107. Springer 2016.
  14. Volume introduction (with Tony Milligan) to The Ethics of Space Exploration.
  15. “Near-Earth Water Sources: Ethics and Fairness.” Advances in Space Research 58 (2016): 402-407.
  16. “Lunar Labor Relations.” In Dissent, Revolution, and Liberty in Space, edited by Charles Cockell, 41-58. Springer 2016.
  17. “Mathematical Structuralism, Modal Nominalism, and the Coherence Principle,” Philosophia Mathematica 23 (2015): 367-385.
  18. “Rendezvous with Research: Government Support of Science in a Space Society,” in Human Governance Beyond Earth: Implications for Freedom, pp. 197-212, edited by Charles Cockell. Springer 2015.
  19. “Fairness as a Moral Grounding for Space Policy,” in The Meaning of Liberty Beyond Earth, pp. 69-89, edited by Charles Cockell. Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015.
  20. “Prioritizing Scientific Exploration: A Comparison of the Ethical Justifications for Space Development and for Space Science,” Space Policy 30 (2014), pp. 202-208.
  21. “On the Moral Permissibility of Terraforming,” Ethics and the Environment 18(2) (2013), pp. 1-31.
  22. “Our Moral Obligation to Support Space Exploration,” Environmental Ethics 33 (2011), pp. 67-88.

Published Abstracts:

  • “Near-Earth Resources: Short-Term Limitations with Interstellar Consequences.” In Proceedings of the Sixth Interstellar Symposium and Advanced Propulsion Workshop.
  • “Worldship Ethics 101: The Shipborn.” Forthcoming in Proceedings of the 2017 Tennessee Valley Interstellar Workshop.
  • “Where No Planetary Protection Policy Has Gone Before.” In Proceedings of the 2016 Tennessee Valley Interstellar Workshop, 30-37.

Funded Grants:

  • Principal Investigator. “Celebrating The Scientific Legacy of NASA and Apollo: A Symposium and Student Competitions.” NASA Kansas Space Grant Consortium, $12,580. 2019.

Invited Presentations:

  • “Concepts of Intrinsic Value for Planetary Protection Ethics.” AstroBio 2019: Barry Blumberg Memorial Workshop, Green Bank Observatory, Green Bank, WV, July 2019.
  • Invited Panelist, AstroBio 2019: Barry Blumberg Memorial Workshop, Green Bank Observatory, Green Bank, WV, July 2019.
  • Invited Panelist, Mars Settlement Workshop, London, UK, December 2019.
  • “Overcoming Metaethical Challenges to Obligations Associated with Space Settlement.” Mars Settlement Workshop, London, UK, December 2018.
  • “Myths of Space Advocacy.” Future In-Space Operations Working Group presentation (teleconference), January 2018.
  • Feature Interview on The Space Show, 27 October 2017.
  • “Planetary Protection – A Philosophical and Ethical Introduction.” Fall Physics Seminar Series, Wichita State University, September 2016.
  • “Where No Planetary Protection Policy Has Gone Before.” 2016 Tennessee Valley Interstellar Workshop, March 2016.
  • “Near-Earth Water Sources: Ethics and Fairness.” 2nd Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) Symposium on Water and Life in the Universe, Brazil, November 2015.
  • “Some Ethical Constraints on Near-Earth Resource Exploitation.” Lead author with Tony Milligan, presented by James S.J. Schwartz. European Space Policy Institute Autumn Conference, Vienna, September 2015.
  • “What Should We do When Space Exploration and Space Development Conflict?” Working Group on Science and Society, Humanities Center, Wayne State University, 2014.
  • “Lessons From Burgess.” Workshop on Natural Philosophy. Oakland University, Department of Philosophy, 2012.
  • “Is Terraforming Mars Morally Permissible?” Working Group on Science and Society, Humanities Center, Wayne State University, 2012.
  • “Our Moral Obligation to Support Space Exploration.” Oakland Community College, 2011.

Refereed Presentations:

  • “The Accessible Universe: On the Choice to Require Bodily Modification for Space Exploration.” Kansas Philosophical Society 2020 Meeting, Johnson County Community College, February 2020.
  • “Near-Earth Resources: Short-Term Limitations with Interstellar Consequences.” 6th Interstellar Symposium and Advanced Propulsion Workshop, Wichita, KS, November 2019.
  • “The Importance of Answering the Major Questions of Astrobiology.” Social and Conceptual Issues in Astrobiology 2018, University of Nevada, Reno.
  • “Worldship Ethics 101: The Shipborn.” 2017 Tennessee Valley Interstellar Workshop, October 2017.
  • “The Life-Bias in Planetary Protection.” Social and Conceptual Issues in Astrobiology 2016, Clemson University, September 2016.
  • “Lunar Labor Relations.” Extraterrestrial Liberty III – Dissent, Revolution, and Security in Space, UK Centre for Astrobiology/British Interplanetary Society, June 2015.
  • “Value Pluralism and the Space Environment.” Ethics of Space Exploration Workshop, University of Hertfordshire, June 2015.
  • “The False Dilemma Reply to the Burgess-Rosen Criticism of Nominalism, and why it isn’t Enough.” 2015 meeting of the Kansas Philosophical Society.
  • “The Value of Science in a Space Society.” Extraterrestrial Liberty II – Human Governance Beyond the Earth, UK Centre for Astrobiology/British Interplanetary Society, 2014.
  • “Do Numbers Exist? A Naturalist Perspective.” 4th Annual Graduate Exhibition, Wayne State University, 2013.
  • “Shapiro, Ante Rem Structuralism, and the Coherence Principle.” 2012 meeting of the Society for Exact Philosophy.
  • “A Prolegomenon to any Future Modal Metaphysics.” Wayne State University Philosophy Forum Second Annual Student Conference, 2009.

Awards:

  • Rumble Fellowship, Wayne State University, 2012-13. Awarded annually to a philosophy graduate student who demonstrates the most promise for conducting research and scholarship leading to a high quality dissertation.
  • Rumble Fellowship, Wayne State University, 2008-9. Awarded annually to an outstanding philosophy graduate student newly recruited to Wayne State.
  • Phi Beta Kappa, 2007-present.
  • Zerby Prize, Michigan State University, 2007. Awarded annually to the best undergraduate essay in philosophy.
  • Benjamin-Miller Award, Michigan State University, 2005. Awarded annually to the most promising philosophy major in the sophomore class.

Service to Profession:

  • Referee for Futures, Space Policy, Journal of the American Philosophical Association, Etyka, Acta Astronautica, Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, Science and Engineering Ethics, Palgrave Communications, among others.
  • Book and Book Proposal reviewer for Oxford University Press, Routledge Publishing, Springer, Ashgate Publishing.
  • Session Chair, 2019 American Philosophical Association Central Meeting.
  • Session Chair, 2019 Kansas Philosophical Society Meeting.
  • Organizer, 2019 Kansas Philosophical Society Meeting.
  • Member, Program and Organizing Committees, 2019 6th Interstellar Symposium and Advanced Propulsion Workshop.
  • Referee, Kansas Philosophical Society 2018 Conference.
  • Coordinator, Ethics of Space Exploration Workshop, University of Hertfordshire, 2015.

Service to College/University:

  • Member, Space Science Graduate Certificate program development committee, 2019.
  • Organizer, “Celebrating the Scientific Legacy of NASA and Apollo: Symposium and Student Competitions.” 2019.
  • Invited Panelist, Honors Teaching Panel, IDA Academic Resources Conference, August 2019.
  • Founding Coordinator, Wichita Space Initiative Space Exploration Lecture Series, 2018-present.
  • Founding Coordinator, Wichita Space Initiative, 2018-present.
  • Member, SEPS Program Committee.
  • Wichita State University Faculty Senate, 2017-present.
  • Faculty Advisor to Nerd Union (student-run organization), Wichita State University, 2017-present.
  • Member, Teaching Faculty Advancement Committee, Wichita State University, 2017.
  • Member, Environmental Literacy Curriculum Committee, Wayne State University, 2012.

Service to Department:

  • Member, Wichita State Philosophy Department Policy Committee, 2019.
  • Created PHIL 530: Ethics of Space Exploration.
  • Member, Wichita State Philosophy Department Scholarship Committee, 2016-present.
  • Created PHI 1130 Environmental Ethics at Wayne State University, 2012.
  • Vice President, Wayne State University Philosophy Forum, 2011.
  • Referee, Wayne State University Philosophy Forum Third Annual Student Conference, 2010.

Society Membership

  • Society for the Social and Conceptual Issues in Astrobiology, 2016-present.
  • American Philosophical Association, 2012-present.
  • Society for Exact Philosophy, 2012-present.
  • National Space Society, 2012-present.
  • British Interplanetary Society, 2012-present.
  • Planetary Society, 2014-present.
  • American Astronautical Society, 2012-present.
  • Wayne State University Philosophy Forum, 2008-2013.

Teaching Experience:

  • Wichita State University
    • PHIL 105 Critical Reasoning
    • PHIL 125 Introductory Logic
    • PHIL 325 Formal Logic
    • HNRS 305R Honors Seminar in Philosophy of Space Exploration
    • PHIL 530 Ethics of Space Exploration
    • PHIL 699 Directed Readings in History and Philosophy of Mathematics
    • PHYS 845 Space Science Foundations
    • POLS 391R Space Politics
  • Wayne State University
    • Environmental Ethics
    • Contemporary Moral Issues
    • Critical Thinking
  • Oakland University
    • Introduction to Ethics
    • Introduction to Logic
  • Oakland Community College
    • Introduction to Informal Logic