Celso Alves Neto Receives Killam Scholarship

The University of Calgary recently hosted a reception to honour the 2019 Killam Laureates, including Department of Philosophy pre-doctoral scholar Celso Alves Neto.

Celso shared with UToday his thoughts on receiving the first-year scholarship. “I am so grateful to be a recipient of a Killam scholarship,” he says. “To be a PhD student is a hard job and involves a lot of sacrifice. This recognition has not only validated my work as a PhD scholar in philosophy and given me the freedom to go into great detail in my research, but has also opened up many new pathways in my academic career that I never thought were possible.”

His research investigates the role of idealized models in science. Usually, philosophers focus on how these models lead to better theories, explanations, and other propositional entities in science. In contrast, he examines how idealized models contribute to the social activities of scientists. Some of these activities are recruiting experts to research projects and establishing collaborations.

The ultimate goal of Celso’s research, for which he received the Killam scholarship, is a better understanding of how models influence science and how science is socially organized.