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Placement Information

This page lists placements from 2001 on, in reverse chronological order.  Despite an ongoing tight market nationwide for new Ph.D.s entering academic philosophy, the Purdue University Philosophy Department has enjoyed a strong record of success in placing its graduates during this period.  The Department granted Ph.D.s to sixty-five people in this decade.  Fifty-five of those sixty-five did unrestricted searches for academic positions, and forty-eight of those fifty-five received a full-time offer of some sort.

We attribute this success in large measure to two things:

1.    This department devotes considerable energy and resources to help its students secure academic appointments, beginning with the work of a Placement Director whose job is to oversee all aspects of preparation for and execution of the application process.  This includes: an early-Fall placement meeting for prospective candidates (including those still a year or two away from completing their dissertations), during which the contents of an extensive placement manual are discussed in detail; multiple-faculty review of draft CVs; compilation of a full dossier, including a special letter about the applicant's success as a teacher written by the Director of Undergraduate Studies; full subsidy of copying and postage costs; mock interviews by faculty for all candidates; and on-site assistance and advice from the Placement Director at the Eastern APA Meeting.

2.    The Graduate Program at Purdue is structured so that all students emerge with strong competence in a range of traditional areas of philosophy.  This, together with concerted effort at giving our students extensive experience teaching their own courses under faculty-mentor oversight, has earned Purdue a reputation of turning out unusually well-trained teachers of philosophy.

Many of our students begin applying for jobs as latter-stage ABD candidates; most of our students secure a continuing tenure-track job within three years of graduating.  The list below shows the employment record for the past decade by year of graduation, listing current position first and then any previous ones.  Every effort has been made to provide information that is as complete and accurate as possible: please send corrections to sanders@purdue.edu. 

2012

  • Vern Cisney, “Toward a Philosophy of Difference: From Derrida to Deleuze”  Visiting Assistant Professor, Gettysburg College.
  • Rockwell Clancy, “Gilles Deleuze’s Political Anthropology: From a Critique of Psychoanalysis to the Superiority of Anglo-American Literature”  Lecturer, University of Michigan-Shanghai Jiao Tong University Joint Institute, Shanghai, China.
  • Olga Lyanda-Geller, "Lekta and Inner Form as Loci of Sense in Metaphysics of Language" Continuing Lecturer, School of Languages and Cultures, Purdue University.
  • John Houston, “Aristotle on Friendship, Justice, and the Human Good” Visiting Assistant Professor, Wabash College.
  • Jacob Tuttle, “Suárez’s Metaphysics of Efficient Causation: An Interpretive Study” Visiting Assistant Professor, St. Michael’s College, VT.

2011

  • David Anderson, "Knowledge and Conviction" Visiting Lecturer, Simon Fraser University.  Previous: Templeton Research Fellow, Notre Dame University (2011).
  • Samantha Bankston, ""Becoming and Time in the Philosophy of Gilles Deleuze" Assistant Professor, CUNY-BMCC, tenure track; Assistant Professor, Sierra Nevada College (2010).
  • Jillian Canode, "The Radical Potential of the Body: Pushing Irigarian Psychoanalysis in a Different Direction" Center for American Education at the Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, Lima, Peru.  Previous: Grand Valley, MI, adjunct (2011).
  • Somaieh Emamjomeh, "The Ethical Implications of Listening for Being-with-Others: A Critique of Martin Heidegger" MITRE, Multi-Discipline Systems Engineer (2011).
  • Octabian Gabor, "Aristotelian Forms: Form, Soul, and Mind" Assistant Professor 2, Methodist College, IL.  Previous: Instructor, Bradley University (2010).
  • Nicolae Morar, "Biotechnologies and Human Nature: Ethical and Political Challenges" Faculty Fellow, University of Oregon (2011).

2010

  • Alex Carmical, “Newton’s Critique of Descartes’s Theory of Motion,” did not do academic job search.
  • Paul Gould, “In Defense of Platonic Theism.”  Took non-academic position; did not do academic job search.  
  • Erik Hanson, “Kant and Kierkegaard: Radical Evil and the Ethics of Love,” University of Colorado—Colorado Springs,  Full-Time Instructor.
  • Brian Kanouse, “Transforming Diagnosis: A Post-Structural Critique of the Pathologization of Transgender Identity,” Keene State College, Lecturer; degree in joint program in Philosophy and Communication.
  • Erin Kealey, “The Cinematic World: Heideggerian Existentialism and Film,” degree in joint program in Philosophy and Literature; Shenandoah University, adjunct (2011).
  • Robert Drury King, "System Individuation in Differential and Dialectical Ontology: Deleuze, Hegel, and Systematic Thought," Sierra Nevada College, Assistant Professor.
  • Kurt Liebegott, “A New Defense of Abortion,” Keystone College, adjunct.
  • Chris Michael Lorkowski, “Naturalism, Realism, and Hume’s Philosophy of Religion,” Senior Lecturer, University of Akron (2011),  adjunct, Kent State (2011), previously, University of Cincinnati, Visiting Assistant Professor (2010).
  • Bryan O’Neal, “Good Science/God Science? On the Scientific Legitimacy of Design Hypotheses,” Moody Bible Institute, Dean of Faculty and Associate Professor (2010), Assistant Professor (2008), Instructor (2002).
  • Bob Robinson, “A Critical Ontology of Ourselves: The Kantian Foundations of Michel Foucault’s Philosophy,” Loyola Marymount University, Visiting Assistant Professor.
  • Alden Stout, “Reconciling Freedom and Solidarity: The Modern Republicanism of Hegel and Rousseau,” Visiting Assistant Professor, Morningside College (2011), previously Utah Valley University, adjunct (2010).

2009

  • Andy Brei, "Our Right to Health and Our Duty to Nature," Visiting Assistant Professor, St. Mary's University (2011), previously at Northwest Vista College, adjunct (2010).
  • Aaron Fehir, “Postmetaphysical Fragments: Rereading Kierkegaard after the Death of God,” Saint Leo University, Assistant Professor, tenure-track
  • Rebecca Lloyd, "Descartes on Time," Kenyon College, Assistant Professor, tenure-track.
  • Jason Waller, "Spinoza on the Persistence of Bodies," Eastern Illinois University, Assistant Professor, tenure-track.

2008

  • Tully Borland, "The Ethics of Duns Scotus," Ouachita Baptist University, Assistant Professor, tenure-track.
  • Randy Gibson, "The Mystery of Death: Toward a Pacifist Ethic," Ivy Tech Community College, adjunct.
  • Timothy Allan Hillman, "Leibniz on Monadic Action and Divine Concurrence," University of Southern Alabama, Assistant Professor, tenure-track.
  • Nathan Jun, "Anarchism and Contemporary Political Philosophy," Midwestern State University, Assistant Professor, tenure-track; degree in joint program in Philosophy and Literature.
  • Shannon Nason, "Motion, Change, and Activity in the Thought of Soren Kierkegaard," Clinical Assistant Professor; previously Loyola Marymount University, Visiting Assistant Professor; degree in joint program in Philosophy and Literature.
  • Michael Paradiso-Michau, "The Face of the Neighbor: Ethics in Kierkegaard and Levinas," Visiting Assistant Professor, North Central College (2011); previously Oakton Community College, adjunct (2010); Pennsylvania State University, post-doctoral fellowship (2008), University of Dayton, Lecturer (2007), Ohio State University, Lecturer (2006).
  • Ronald Rowe, "Contemporary Legal Theory and Philosophical Hermeneutics: Originalisms Failed Reliance on Intentionalist Theories of Meaning," working toward J.D. at University of Missouri School of Law.
  • Michael Thune, "The Epistemology of Disagreement," Joliet Junior College, Assistant Professor, tenure-track.
  • Christopher Tucker, "Neo-Mooreanism, Inferential Justification, and Transmission Failure," University of Auckland, Assistant Professor, tenure-track (2010), University of Notre Dame, post-doc (2009), Stonehill College, Visiting Assistant Professor (2008).
  • Shane Wahl, "A Political Philosophy of the Future: Overcoming Liberalism Through Nietzschean Agonism," Ivy Tech Community College, adjunct.

2007

  • Jacoby Carter, "Social Inquiry: A Pragmatist Analysis of Just War Theory Explanations of Terrorism," John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY, Assistant Professor, tenure-track.
  • Erik Garrett, "A Phenomenological Investigation of the Child-Animal Bond," Duquesne University, Assistant Professor of Communication, tenure-track; degree in joint program in Communication and Philosophy.
  • Joel Krueger, "William James and Kitaro Nishida on "Pure Experience,' Consciousness, and Moral Psychology," Danish National Research Foundation:  Center for Subjectivity Research, University of Copenhagen, Post-Doctoral Fellowshio (2007).  Southern Illinois University, Instructor (2005)
  • Christopher P. Martin, "Spinoza's Individuals," University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Assistant Professor, tenure-track.
  • Myron Penner, "Fallibilism and Warrant," Trinity Western University, Assistant Professor, tenure-track (2005).
  • Thaddeus Robinson, "Spinoza and the Metaphysics of Mechanism," Muhlenberg College, Assistant Professor, tenure-track (previously Visiting Assistant Professor). 
  • Kevin W. Sharpe, "Dispositions and the Metaphysics of Mental Causation," St. Cloud State University, Assistant Professor, tenure-track (2008); Visiting Assistant Professor, Westmont College (2007).

2006

  • Bertha Alvarez, "When Does a Human Being Gain a Moral Right to Life? A study of Abortion and Stem Cell Research," Arizona State University, Phoenix, Assistant Professor, tenure-track.
  • Lee McBride, "Rethinking Liberalism: A comparative Study of the Moral and Political Philosophies of John Dewey and Alasdair MacIntyre," College of Wooster, Assistant Professor, tenure-track (2008), previously Visiting Assistant Professor.
  • Bradley L. Sickler, "Causation, Forces, and Laws of Nature: Some Implication of Kant's Second Analogy,"  moved to private sector; previously Assistant Professor, tenure-track, Ouachita Baptist College.

2005

  • Jason Hagen, "Modal Epistemology: What Justifies Modal Belief?", private sector, did not do academic job search.
  • Shin Kim, "Moral Explanation within a Physicalist Framework," Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Seoul, South Korea, tenure-track (2010), previously Visiting Assistant Professor Central Michigan University (2006), Instructor, Indiana State University (2003), Visiting Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska/Omaha (2002).
  • Joseph Long, "Existential Epistemologies," Visiting Assistant Professor, St. Thomas University (2006), previously at Northwestern College, Visiting Assistant Professor (2004).
  • Darrin Anthony Madis, "Heidegger and Appropriating Nihilism: Reconstructing Dasein from Moral Relativism to Supererogatory Obligation," Ivy Tech Community College, Faculty Fellow, English; degree in joint program in Philosophy and Literature.
  • Mango Meier, "Philosophy and Politics: Xenophon's Teaching on Tyranny," Stony Brook, part-time appointment.

 2004

  • Michelle Darnell, "Subject and Objects:  A Comparative Study of Kant's and Sartre's Theoretical Philosophies," Fayetteville State University, Assistant Professor, tenure-track (2005), Assistant Professor, tenure-track, Methodist College (2004).
  • Mary Escoffery, "A Philosophical Examination of Peter Singer's Ethical Theory," did not do national job search.
  • J. Todd Ferguson, "From Globalization to Cosmopolitan Solidarity: A Critical Completion of Jurgen Habermas's Recent Political Philosophy," private sector.
  • Ada Jaarsma , "Troubling the Normal: Contemporary Encounters with Kierkegaard," Sonoma State University, Assistant Professor, tenure-track; degree in joint program in English and Philosophy.
  • Jack Mulder, "Faith and Nothingness in Kierkegaard: A Mystical Reading of the God-Relationship," Hope College, Assistant Professor, tenure-track (2006); previously Visiting Assistant Professor, Hope College. 
  • Jari Niemi, "The Foundations of Jurgen Habermas's Theory of Communicative Rationality: A Defense," Florida Atlantic University, Assistant Professor, tenure-track (2006), previously Visiting Assistant Professor, James Madison University (2005), post-doc, Homeland Security Institute, Purdue University (2004). 

2003

  • Raymond Anthony, "A Philosophical Examination of the Relationship Between Animal Cognition and Human Obligation," University of Alaska, Assistant Professor, tenure-track (2005), previously Visiting Assistant Professor, Iowa State University (2003).
  • Chielozona Eze, "Literature as an Ethical Challenge: Alain Locke and the Responsibility of the Negro Artist," Northeastern Illinois University, Assistant Professor, tenure-track, Department of English (2005), post-doc, UCLA (2004); degree in joint program in English and Philosophy.
  • Joon Ho Kang, "Maximization and Equality: An Examination of Utilitarian Responses to Rawls and Other Critics," Kyunghee University, Korea, Lecturer.
  • Louis Mancha, "Concurrentism: A Philosophical Explanation," Ashland University, Assistant Professor, tenure-track.
  • Tadd Ruetenik, "Sickrooms and Special Revelations:  William James' Religion of the Individual," St. Ambrose University, Assistant Professor (2007), previously Instructor at Penn State - University Park (2006), adjunct at Penn State - Altoona (2003); degree in joint program in English and Philosophy.
  • Justin Skirry, "Descartes' Metaphysics of the Human Being," Nebraska-Wesleyan University, Assistant Professor, tenure-track (2006), previously at St. Xavier University, Visiting Assistant Professor (2005), William Patterson University, Visiting Assistant Professor (2004),  Emory University, Visiting Assistant Professor (2003).

2002

  • Brian Coleman, "Practical Reason and the Requirements of Internalism," Central Michigan University, Visiting Assistant Professor (2003), previously at Longwood College (VA), lecturer, non-tenure-track (2002).
  • Matt Hettche, "Rethinking Rational Cosmology: Research on the Pre-Critical Origins of Kant's Arguments in the Antinomies," Christopher Newport University, Assistant Professor of Marketing, tenure-track (2009), Visiting Assistant Professor of Marketing, Virginia Tech (2008), East Carolina University, Visiting Assistant Professor (2003), North Carolina State, adjunct (2003).
  • Debra Jackson, "Violated Subjects: A Feminist Phenomenology and Critical Theory of Rape," CSU/Bakersfield, Assistant Professor, tenure-track (2005), previously visiting but renewable Assistant Professor Position (2002).
  • Jeremy Gallegos, "Hume's two Foundations of Justice and the Nature of Law," private sector, did not do academic job search.
  • Thomas A. Gardner, "Physicalism and Qualia," Muhlenberg College, Assistant Professor, tenure-track (2003), non-tenure-track (2002).
  • J. Gregory Keller, "Weakness of Will Implies Freedom of Will: An Argument for Libertarian Freedom," Indiana University-Purdue University/Indianapolis, Lecturer, renewable (2002), various visiting positions previously, restricted job search.
  • James D. Madden, "Aristotelian Defense of Leibniz on Mechanism and Teleology," Benedictine College, Assistant Professor, tenure-track (2003), previously at University of St. Thomas, Assistant Professor, five-year appointment (2002).
  • L. Ryan Musgrave, "Critical Feminist Aesthetics: Explorations in Contemporary Aesthetics and Politics," Rollins College, Assistant Professor, tenure-track (2005), visiting Assistant Professor, three-year appointment (2002).
  • Jennifer Purvis, "The Engagement and Intervention: Feminism's Exchange with 19th Century Master Thinkers," University of Alabama/Tuscaloosa, Assistant Professor, tenure-track (2002).
  • Daphne Rolle, "The Relationship Between Moral Obligations and Unified Consciousness: Implications for the Individual," Ball State University, Assistant Professor, non-tenure-track (2002), visiting part-time position, University of Indianapolis (2001-), visiting part-time position, Indiana University-Purdue University/Indianapolis (2000), restricted job search.
  • Mary Lyn Stoll, "Collective Responsibility: The Morality of the Group," University of Southern Indiana, Assistant Professor, non-tenure track (2005), previously at Muskingum College, Assistant Professor, non-tenure track (2003), and Minnesota State University/Mankato, Assistant Professor, temporary position (2002).  Declined two non-tenure track offers in 2001.
  • Abe Zakhem, "Towards an Ethics of Authenticity: An Essay on the Limits of Theoretical Ethics," Seton Hall University, Assistant Professor, tenure-track.

2001

  • Mark Dixon, "The Mind's Architecture: Classical Cognitivism and Connectionism," Ohio Northern University, Instructor, non-tenure track, restricted job search.
  • Tim Martell, "'Capital' as a Model of Dialectical Philosophy: Marx after Adorno," Murray State University, Assistant Professor, tenure-track (2006), following a visiting position; previously Teaching Fellow, Rollins College (2003), and adjunct at Rollins (2002); Ball State University, visiting position (2001).