The University of Florida’s Philosophy Department is proud to announce the outstanding achievements of three of its undergraduate students, Jay Chavakula, Nada Mohan, and Ryan Reid, who recently presented their research at the 26th Annual Northeast Florida Student Philosophy Conference. Held at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville in early March, the conference provided a platform for emerging scholars to showcase their work and engage in philosophical discourse. Under the mentorship of Dr. Molly Gardner, who attended the conference to watch their presentations, these students demonstrated the caliber of education and scholarly inquiry fostered within the UF Philosophy Department.
Jay’s presentation, titled “Should Patients Have Greater Control Over Their Personal Health Information?”, emerged from his coursework in Dr. Gardner’s Bioethics class. Jay’s commitment to the subject matter has been further recognized through his participation in the University Scholars Program, where he is currently collaborating with Dr. Gardner to develop a comprehensive paper expanding on the themes explored in his conference presentation.
Nada’s contribution, “Better to Have Been: A Response to Benatar’s Duty Not to Procreate,” originally crafted in a course taught by Jim Gillespie, has also been accepted for an undergraduate seminar in philosophy at the University of Colorado for the summer of 2024.
Ryan’s presentation, “Taking Action Without Consent: The Coercion Issue,” emerged from his coursework with Dr. Gardner in Bioethics.
Congratulations to Jay, Nada, and Ryan on their exemplary accomplishments, and we look forward to witnessing their continued growth and success in their philosophical pursuits.