Helen Meskhidze
I'm a philosopher of science at the black hole initiative
01. About Me
2012
Elon University
BA Philosophy, BS Physics
2016
Western University
MA Philosophy
2017
University of California, Irvine
PhD Philosophy
2023
Black Hole Initiative, Harvard University
Postdoctoral Fellow
2025
University of Cincinnati
Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Physics
I work in philosophy of science, on the foundations of spacetime theories and the use of simulations in astrophysics.
I'm currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Black Hole Initiative at Harvard University and co-lead of the Foundations Focus Group in the History Philosophy and Culture Working Group of the Next Generation Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration. Starting in Fall 2025, I'll be an Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Physics at the University of Cincinnati. I received my Ph.D. from the Department of Logic and Philosophy of Science at the University of California, Irvine in Summer 2023 under the supervision of Jim Weatherall .
02. Research
foundations of spacetime theories
In my dissertation, I investigate underdetermination in our theories of gravity. In a forthcoming paper, Jim Weatherall and I formulate a novel non-relativistic theory of gravity with torsion. I have since studied the relation between this novel non-relativistic theory and Teleparallel Gravity, a relativistic theory of gravity with torsion that is empirically equivalent to General Relativity (manuscript in preparation). Jim Weatherall and I have also investigated the (in)equivalence of General Relativity and Teleparallel Gravity in more detail (manuscript in preparation).
use of simulations in astrophysics
I have a manuscript in preparation about the use of "physics-informed" machine learning. I have also been part of a collaboration in which we investigated the use of code comparisons to increase trust in simulation results. The scientific results of this collaboration are published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society while the philosophical reflection on the methodology is published in Philosophy of Astrophysics, edited volume.
Finally, I have argued that the use of "black-boxes" need not undercut scientific understanding (published in Erkenntnis).
Finally, I have argued that the use of "black-boxes" need not undercut scientific understanding (published in Erkenntnis).
pedagogy
I am part of an ongoing project investigating feminist- and trauma-informed approaches to teaching logic and philosophy of physics. I have also coauthored papers about research-informed pedagogy in and for philosophy (in AAPT: Studies in Pedagogy), ameliorating the underrepresentation of women in philosophy (in Feminist Philosophy Quarterly), as well as student-faculty partnerships (in The Power of Partnership, collected volume)
03. About Teaching
course that I've taught
Making Modern Science (Summer 2021), on the history and philosophy of science (syllabus)
Introduction to Symbolic Logic (Spring 2023, Spring 2021), on formal tools for argument evaluation (syllabus , Carnap site)
course that I've TAed
Foundations of Spacetime Theories
Introduction to Inductive Logic
The Good Life
Philosophy of Sex
Classical Mythology: The Gods
Introduction to Symbolic Logic
Introduction to Women's Studies
Clinical Psychology
Personality Psychology
Introduction to Inductive Logic
The Good Life
Philosophy of Sex
Classical Mythology: The Gods
Introduction to Symbolic Logic
Introduction to Women's Studies
Clinical Psychology
Personality Psychology
trainings that I've facilitated at UCI
TA Professional Development Program (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
Workshop on Course Design (2021, 2022)
Summer Graduate Fellow Training (2022)
Workshop on Course Design (2021, 2022)
Summer Graduate Fellow Training (2022)
other trainings that I've facilitated
How to bring trauma-informed practices to your classroom (2023, University of Colorado, Boulder)