Yunjie (Ellen) Shi

Hi! Welcome to my academic website.

I am a PhD candidate in the Department of Logic and Philosophy of Science (LPS), at University of California, Irvine, advised by James Weatherall. Kenny Easwaran and Simon Huttegger serve on my dissertation committee. 

I am currently writing my dissertation on topics in philosophy of physics (theoretical equivalence & structure), philosophy of probability, and social choice theory. My work is unified by my interests in the mathematical representations and formal reasonings across disciplines, as I investigate how they inform philosophical inquiries in the aforementioned domains. I am also interested in algorithmic game theory, social philosophy, general philosophy of science, and philosophy of mathematics/mathematical practice. Check out my past and current projects at the Research page! 

I have been serving several roles for UC Irvine and my home department,  including DECADE Student Representative, organizer of the Philosophy of Physics Research/Reading Group, LPS Graduate Student Work in Progress Talks, and several reading groups. In 2025, I am honored to receive the Outstanding Service Award from the School of Social Sciences of UC Irvine. 

Before coming to UC Irvine for graduate school, I finished my undergraduate degree at London School of Economics. I was born and raised in Chuzhou, Anhui, China.