Ryan Feigenbaum as Incoming Executive Director

We are pleased to announce the successful outcome of our search for an Executive Director to lead the PSA Executive Office when it moves to the University of Cincinnati in January 2021. Ryan Feigenbaum will join the PSA office at the first of November, for a two-month overlap with outgoing Executive Director Jessica Pfeifer. 
 
Ryan comes to the PSA from the History of Science Society where he has served as Society Coordinator for the last three years. He brings a substantial depth of experience managing all aspects of association business, and has the vision and skills to provide leadership in the areas that are a priority for the PSA, including membership services, equity and inclusiveness initiatives, public outreach and engagement. Ryan holds a PhD in philosophy of science and, as a postdoctoral fellow at the New York Botanical Garden, curated an impressive digital exhibition, Poetic Botany. His passion for the digital humanities and his skills as a science/HPS communicator are clearly evident in this exhibition - talents that we look forward to him putting to work for the PSA, developing our digital presence and public outreach programs. 
 
This appointment marks a major turning point for the PSA. In the eight tremendously successful years that Jessica Pfeifer has served as Executive Director, the role of the ED and the workload associated with this position has expanded dramatically. Jessica has played a pivotal leadership role building the necessary infrastructure for all the outreach and program innovations that have become signature initiatives of the PSA; they are a credit to Jessica’s vision, commitment, and organizational skill. The support of the University of Cincinnati – especially the Taft Center and the Department of Philosophy – is making it possible to structure the position Ryan is taking up so that 75% of his time will be dedicated to the role of PSA Executive Director and 25% to that of Program Director for UC Center for Public Engagement with Science. We look forward to seeing what this will make possible! 

Alison Wylie
President, Philosophy of Science Association
Canada Research Chair and Professor of Philosophy
University of British Columbia