Yunjie (Ellen) Shi, a fourth-year logic & philosophy of science graduate student, is the recipient of the UCI School of Social Sciences Outstanding Service Award. The faculty-nominated award recognizes her contributions to the social sciences community, including the intellectual growth of others. Below, Shi, who earned her undergraduate degree from the London School of Economics, shares more about her time as an Anteater and what’s next on her pathway to a Ph.D.

What made you decide to pursue your current field of study, and specifically at UCI? What interests you most about your work?

I did my undergrad at the London School of Economics in a department very similar to the Department Logic and Philosophy of Science (my current department), so it is natural for me to come to LPS. Programs like LPS which offer formal philosophy training are rare worldwide, and UCI has one of them, so it’s also natural for me to come to UCI. I also like UCI’s location and weather. What interests me the most about my work is that I have a lot of freedom regarding what questions I want to ask and pursue, and I get to learn new tools and methods when I do research about them.

Tell us about your research. What problem will your findings help solve?

I use formal methods to investigate philosophical questions. In philosophy of physics, I ask how can we investigate if a formalism for the theory of space and time commits to some metaphysical view based on its mathematical structure? I follow the recent literature on theoretical equivalence and structure, to which faculty and alumni of LPS greatly contribute. I am also interested in the philosophy of probability. My current project in this area concerns a type of reasoning called the method of arbitrary functions. I am grappling with the question of whether it justifies an objective interpretation of probability in deterministic systems. Finally, I am interested in social choice theory, which concerns generating a collective output (of preference, judgements, and so on) from inputs of a group of individuals.

Where can your work be found if someone wanted to learn more about your research?

You can see my research on my website: https://www.shi-y-e.com/research!

Also:

(2022) The Quasi-Empirical Epistemology of Mathematics, KRITERION – Journal of Philosophy, Special Issue on Lakatos’ Undone Work.
(Under review) Einstein Algebras and Relationalism Reconsidered.

In addition to the Outstanding Service Award, what other honors have you received and activities have you been involved in?

Graduate Student Service Award, Department of Logic and Philosophy of Science, 2023, 2024, 2025.
DECADE Student Representative, 2024-2025.

Who have been your faculty mentors while here, and what impact have they had on your graduate career?

My dissertation chair Jim Weatherall has been consistently showing me confidence and trust in my ability to do research, which greatly encourages me. I only started doing philosophy of physics in my second year, and he patiently mentored me through the subfield that I am working in now. Jim also supports me whenever I apply for a funding or training opportunity. I appreciate that he takes effort to recognize my work and get it recognized more widely too.

Kenny Easwaran has been generously providing me with a lot of time and support. He would read and discuss with me many papers chosen by me. I always feel inspired after I talk to Kenny because of his insights and kindness. I also have gotten a lot of guidance from Simon Huttegger and Brian Skyrms, especially their extensive knowledge on probability.

When do you plan to complete your Ph.D.? What are your plans thereafter? How has UCI prepared you well for this role?

I plan to complete my PhD in the next two years. I plan to pursue an academic career or something related afterwards. I think my department provides a lot of resources and guidance on looking for academic jobs.

Any unique life experiences that have guided your educational journey? Give us some background.

I didn’t grow up with abundant resources of education. Books were once a scarcity at home, and opportunities were restrictive. Being a student in a university removes a lot of obstacles for me to fulfill my intellectual curiosity. I greatly appreciate that I can learn from experts and access vast materials at UCI.