Research Areas

Exploring ideas that shape science, technology and society

The Department of Philosophy at the University at Buffalo has research strengths in areas that connect philosophical theory to real-world problems. Faculty research often crosses disciplinary boundaries, linking philosophy with law, medicine, data science and public policy.

Explore the areas below to learn what each field studies and how students get involved.

  • Applied Ontology
    2/23/26
    How philosophy organizes knowledge for science and technology. Applied ontology studies how concepts are defined, structured and connected so people and systems can share information clearly. At UB, this work links philosophy with data science, artificial intelligence and biomedical informatics to improve how information is organized and can become knowledge that we use in the real world.
  • Philosophy, Politics and Economics
    2/23/26
    How values, power and incentives shape society. Often called PPE, this area brings together philosophy, political theory and economics to study justice, public policy, institutions and collective decision making. Research focuses on how societies organize themselves and how they could do better.

Research opportunities for students

Students at UB can take part in philosophy research at both the undergraduate and graduate levels through faculty-mentored projects, independent study and interdisciplinary collaborations. Many students discover their research interests through coursework and follow their curiosity into deeper study.

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Philosophy at UB is deeply connected to research across the university. Faculty collaborate with partners in areas such as:

  • Law and social policy
  • Medicine and health sciences
  • Cognitive science and artificial intelligence
  • Environmental research and sustainability
  • Global health and public ethics

Collaborations include work with the School of Law, the Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy, the Humanities Institute, the Cognitive Science Center and university-wide initiatives focused on health, data and sustainability.

Take the next step

Explore philosophy research at UB in more depth:

Learn about undergraduate research
Meet our faculty
See careers in philosophy