Dr Walter Veit

The Veit Lab is currently in the founding process.

It is intended as an interdisciplinary group of philosophers and scientists using conceptual and computational methods to solve pressing philosophical, ethical, and scientific challenges at the intersection of the biological, social, and cognitive sciences such as as: Do insects feel pain? How can AI be used to improve animal welfare? How should economists and policy-makers include animal welfare in social welfare functions? Can we create artificial consciousness? How should new technologies be regulated? The lab is led by Dr. Walter Veit at the University of Reading.

Post-Docs

Should you be interested in enhancing your research skills by joining my team, please start by reviewing this list of UK-based funding opportunities that I have put together as well as this non-exhaustive list provided by the University of Reading. You are also advised to consult fellowship opportunities from your home/continent/embassy, which fund a large number of international researchers in the UK. This list of Early Career Researcher funding opportunities and this global online resource survey a large number of such funding opportunities. Then contact me with:

• Your CV and relevant publications
• A concise outline of the research topics you are interested in pursuing
• A list of fellowships for which you qualify and intend to apply, including the deadlines for application

Some fellowship applications demand considerable effort from both the candidate and myself. To maximize your chances of receiving funding, please contact me at least one month before the application deadline. (I am happy to be contacted a year in advance of the deadline from PhD students and post-docs looking to secure a position at my lab.)

PhDs

There are two routes to carrying out your doctoral studies in my lab. The first is as a PhD candidate in the Philosophy Department at Reading. Acceptance into this program happens on a rolling basis and the start-date is flexible. The deadline for most funding sources, however, are in early autumn. The second is as a PhD student in another department such as psychology, animal agriculture and welfare, biology, or neuroscience. In that case, I would serve as a co-supervisor with part of your time spend in my lab. If you like to pursue either route, please contact me describing briefly:

• A brief proposal for your dissertation topic (1-2 pages)
• A writing sample or publication(s) if available
• Your CV
• The funding bodies you intend to apply for (and their deadlines)

If I agree to supervise you, please follow the application steps of the philosophy PhD program, or the application steps for one of the many other PhD programs at Reading, naming me as your supervisor. If you want to pursue your PhD in a field other than philosophy you will also need to identify a primary supervisor, though I can assist you with that.

Funding can be obtained through a large number of external and internal competitive scholarships. Reading has provided a short non-exhaustive list of funding sources. International students at Reading are often funded through scholarships from their alma mater/country/continent which are unfortunately often poorly advertised. Make sure to contact the graduate office at your current institution for external funding advice, connect with other academics from your country who have pursued a PhD in the UK, or even reach out to your embassy or consulate. Private foundations and philanthropic organizations often provide substantial financial support for PhD tuition and other expenses, although these opportunities are even less publicized. Therefore, it’s advisable to dedicate some time to online research. Remember, securing funding requires careful planning and should not be postponed until the last moment. Please read this useful guide on how to acquire PhD funding.

Master Students

The Philosophy Department at Reading offers a one-year (or two-year part-time) Master by Research in Philosophy (MRes) to prepare students for a career in research. If you are interested in pursuing part of this degree as a member of the Veit lab, such as writing an essay or dissertation, please contact me with a CV and a short motivation statement of why you wish to join my group after your application to the MRes has been accepted.