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I am an Assistant Professor at Northern Arizona University. I earned a PhD in Philosophy from Duke University in 2022 after earning two BAs from New Mexico State University in philosophy and psychology in 2016. 

My research focuses on philosophical issues related to nonhuman animals. At first, my research was primarily metaphysical – what are the important differences between humans and other animals? From this, I started focusing on the philosophy of mind of animals – what cognitive abilities do we have that animals lack? In attempting to answer these questions I began tackling issues in epistemology – what makes evidence for some theory of animal cognition better or worse? When are we justified in drawing conclusions given a set of evidence?  

Ultimately, at my work’s core are the ethical implications of our views about animals – do our answers to the above questions entail any ethical considerations or obligations towards animals? This is the fundamental motivation behind all of my research; I am attempting to ground in reason some justification for the better treatment of animals.