Vanessa Schipani
Philosopher and Journalist
I'm currently a PhD candidate in Philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to this, I was a science journalist for 10 years, working most recently for FactCheck.org, where I vetted claims made by politicians about climate change to public health.
As a philosopher, I examine the importance of science communication - particularly the media - in maintaining a functioning democracy. My research relates to debates about inductive risk in the philosophy of science and about public reason in political philosophy. Empirical studies in the science of science communication inform my work.
I also take seriously my position as a teacher and public philosopher. I aim to create partnerships between scientists, science journalists and philosophers of science, among other actors. This has included organizing a session on the philosophy of science journalism at the 2022 Philosophy of Science Association Conference and writing for the Penn Center for Science, Sustainability and the Media. In addition, I'm working towards certificates in teaching and public philosophy from UPenn. For the 2023-24 academic year, I'm also a Climate and Democracy Fellow with the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy and the Penn Program in Environmental Humanities.