MA in Philosophy

Webby Applegate, 2023

When are you graduating?

Spring 2023

How did you choose your specific area of study?

I came to grad school wanting to take philosophy and start using it on specific problems in policy. Working with my department and Dr. Jesse Kirkpatrick of the IPPP, it became clear to me that the ethics and public affairs concentration would fit best with what I want to do.

How did your academic experiences in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences impact you?

My academic experiences impacted me in three ways. First, I got to work with some incredible people, doing really interesting things. My background is in philosophy and economics, so getting some hands-on experience in AI research and emerging technologies, and studying things in defense and national security was eye-opening and gratifying. I got to see how valuable the ways of thinking that my classes at Mason encouraged are in both academic and professional settings. Second, I've - thankfully - been a GRA my entire time at Mason. Through that, I've been able to organize and produce conferences, support the IPPP's scholars, put on workshops, and be a part of projects that have been directly related to my finding fulfillment and employment after school. Third, I got a better idea of the kind of person and scholar I want to be from being able to work with the wonderful professors in the philosophy department.

Of which accomplishment(s) during your time at Mason are you most proud?

There are two accomplishments I'm most proud of. The first is having been a member of the team that wrote a paper calling for the development of a Quantum Policy and Ethics Center that debuted at the Quantum World Congress in 2022. The second is still ongoing - being a member of the Minerva-funded grant project. I've worked with Dr. Kirkpatrick and an interdisciplinary team from all across Mason that focuses on researching the strategies that various nations have developed and employed for AI.

Are there faculty or staff members who made a difference during your Mason career?

There are plenty of faculty and staff who made a difference during my Mason career. Dr. Jesse Kirkpatrick has been a great mentor, boss, and example of the kind of scholar I want to be. Dr. Shannon Fyfe has also been a great mentor and boss; additionally, the conversations we've had during her office hours have been entertaining and engaging in a way that continually keeps my education engaged with real-world problems. Dr. Rachel Jones taught the very first class of my first day at grad school, which confirmed that Mason was where I wanted to study philosophy. Dr. Wesley Buckwalter has taught classes that continue to investigate the very first questions that got me interested in studying philosophy and has been incredibly supportive of all of the weird projects I want to do in order to fulfill class requirements. There are so many more - I could talk about everyone in the philosophy department; they've all made a difference in my time at Mason and made me a better student and scholar.

What advice would you give to an incoming cohort of graduate students?

Be proactive about showcasing the value of your humanities degree, and pursue progress over perfection.

What are your current career plans following graduation? What are your long-term career goals?

Through some of the work I've done with Dr. Kirkpatrick, I'm thankful to be currently employed. Long-term, President of the United States (and I'm only kind of joking).