Pronouns: she/her and/or they/them
Personal website: https://jacquelinewallis.weebly.com
My research primarily engages with philosophy of the life sciences, and I have further interests in applied ethics and public philosophy. Previously, I worked as a biology research technician at the Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center in Seattle, WA, USA, where I also did advocacy work for underrepresented and self-identified minority scientists at the center.
In philosophy of biology, my interests include mate choice and sexual selection (the topic of my MA dissertation under Samir Okasha), microbiome science and holobionts, and general puzzles in philosophy of science as manifested in biology. I plan to write my PhD dissertation on experimental systems, with a focus on microbiome-related biomedical research.
In applied ethics, I'm concerned broadly and trying to learn always. My first philosophy publication applies social philosopher Elizabeth Barnes's model of disability to a case in reproductive ethics. In addition to bioethics and medical ethics, I plan to work more on environmental ethics, especially the issues raised by the climate crisis.
In public philosophy and engaged philosophy of science, I'm interested in community science, climate change, and education across various contexts (e.g., how public philosophy can enhance graduate training, how to increase fairness in deliberation on climate adaptation, and how to model incorporation of local expertise into scientific research and policy decisions). I've been involved with the Galápagos Education & Research Alliance and various Public Philosophy projects at Penn. Through a 2023-2024 initiative funded by PLATO, I'm working as a Philosopher-in-Residence at Palumbo Academy, a public high school in Philadelphia.
At Penn I served as a Teaching Assistant for Intro Logic, Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of Love & Sex, and a new course (which I helped develop) called Repairing the Planet: Tools for the Climate Emergency (cross-listed in Environmental Studies). In 2023 I won a School of Arts & Sciences Dean's Award for Distinguished Teaching by Graduate Students.
In life I enjoy reading, riding my bicycle, and looking at nature. I'm always keen to connect with other early career scholars and students generally. Please reach out!