2017–2021
PhD coursework completed, Philosophy
University of California, Riverside. Completed all required coursework and passed qualifying exams; departed prior to dissertation defense.
Curriculum vitae
Nichole Smith
Professional summary
Interdisciplinary researcher, writer, and builder working across philosophy of mind, AI, mathematics, personhood, public reasoning, and practical software systems. Experienced in conceptual and qualitative research, formal reasoning, teaching, organizational leadership, and translating complex ideas into usable frameworks. Former Graduate Student Association President at UC Riverside, with experience guiding cross-disciplinary initiatives and high-stakes decisions. Current work joins research on mind and identity with public scholarship and the design of software systems for learning, health, life coordination, and small-business operations.
Research interests
- Philosophy of mind, personal identity, dissociation, and systems theory
- Artificial intelligence, consciousness, personhood, and ethical design
- Mathematical and geometric models of mind and identity
- Molecular and ecological foundations of cognition
- Institutional epistemology, public reasoning, and knowledge representation
- Moral psychology and diversity of mind
Education
2017–2019
Master of Arts, Philosophy
University of California, Riverside. Committee: Eric Schwitzgebel (chair), Pierre Keller, and Erich Reck. GPA: 3.88.
2013–2017
Bachelor of Science, Mathematics and Philosophy
Valparaiso University. Double major; Christ College Honors College Associate. GPA: 3.85.
Teaching experience
2018–2021
Teaching Assistant · University of California, Riverside
Courses included Biomedical Ethics, Evil, Introduction to Logic, Mind and World, Formal Logic, History of Philosophy, Introduction to Philosophy, and Wittgenstein.
- Led in-person and online discussion sections, held office hours, and assessed student work.
- Designed strategies for engaging large undergraduate courses in abstract and sensitive topics.
- Received consistently positive student feedback emphasizing clarity, engagement, and respect.
2014–2017
Teaching Assistant · Valparaiso University
Philosophy and Mathematics. Courses included Elementary Logic and Critical Thinking, Calculus I–III, Linear Algebra, Discrete Mathematics, Transitions in Mathematics, and Finite Mathematics.
- Led weekly help sessions, graded assignments, and supported accessible course materials.
Leadership and service
2020–2022
President · Graduate Student Association, UC Riverside
- Elected by and represented more than 4,000 graduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic and labor actions.
- Worked with university administration on budgets, policy, health, housing, immigration, equity, and emergency student support.
- Advocated for continuity of family healthcare access and medical-student clinical placements.
- Developed and passed a public-safety oversight restructuring proposal.
- Contributed a novel proposal during austerity review that helped prevent the dissolution of Division I athletics.
- Authored a widely circulated graduate-student manifesto focused on equity and transparency.
- Used institutional position to elevate underrepresented voices and previously ignored proposals.
Work and community practice
2024–present
Independent philosophical counseling and systems work
- Designed one-to-one intellectual support for complex questions of values, agency, and life strategy, distinct from psychotherapy.
- Developed original tools for ethical clarification, value alignment, and long-range planning.
2022–present
Mutual aid and care coordination
- Provided organizational support, benefits navigation, records coordination, and practical care within community settings.
Selected projects
- Personology / Geometric Model of Personhood: a formal framework connecting philosophy, cognitive science, AI, and moral psychology.
- Cognitive Feedback System Simulator: interpretable experiments with cognitive agents and feedback loops.
- Project Life Hub and Fairfield Ops Hub: practical coordination and operational systems.
- Health tracker and A&P learning tools: structured tools for longitudinal information and conceptual learning.
- WeBWorK Calculus Problem Generator: NSF-funded automated problem development at Valparaiso University, 2014–2016.
- Extending Twist Boxes in Knot Theory: Dean's Choice poster, Valparaiso University, 2015–2016.
- Integer Partition Theory REU: NSF-funded research at SUNY Potsdam, summer 2016.
See the projects page for current status and additional context.
Skills
- Systems thinking, conceptual analysis, qualitative research, and ethical analysis
- Philosophy of mind, AI and identity theory, mathematical reasoning
- Organizational leadership, community organizing, public speaking, and crisis decision-making
- Curriculum design, pedagogy, technical explanation, and knowledge organization
- LaTeX, Markdown, Git, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, Maple, Perl, and BASIC
- Python (basic), TensorFlow (beginner), and 8086 assembler (intermediate)
- Computer network design and implementation
Publications and public scholarship
- Collective Responsibility and Moral Psychology: A Structural Approach — undergraduate honors thesis, Valparaiso University, 2016.
- Public essays and op-eds — ongoing writing on minds, identity, ethics, institutions, biology, and scale.
- GitHub-based writing and research tools — exploratory work connecting identity theory, AI ethics, cognitive modeling, and software.
- Glossary and Geometric Model of Personhood — structured conceptual framework, in progress.
- Philosophical counseling framework — work on value alignment, ethical self-clarification, and strategic life design, in progress.