YEREVAN, Armenia — The Center for Ethics in Public Affairs (ETICA) at the American University of Armenia (AUA) recently welcomed four new researchers to its academic team: Dr. Xintong Wei, Dr. Rory Aird, Dr. Kinley Gillette, and Davit Akelyan.
Under the leadership of ERA Chair and ETICA Director Professor Maria Baghramian, the researchers will conduct original philosophical research and oversee a series of academic and public events, including workshops, public lectures, conferences, and research-in-progress meetings. ETICA’s largest upcoming event, the international conference “Hope and Trust in Times of Crises” is scheduled for June 22-23, 2026 at AUA.
Xingtong Wei
Coming from southeastern China, Dr. Xintong Wei joins ETICA following a PERITIA postdoctoral fellowship at University College Dublin. She also served as a teaching fellow at Stirling University and a postdoctoral research associate at Edinburgh University. Dr. Wei received her philosophical training in the United Kingdom, earning her Ph.D. in 2021 from the University of St. Andrews and Stirling joint Philosophy Graduate Programme.
“ETICA’s research agenda perfectly aligns with my research interests in truth, belief, epistemic normativity, political deliberation and democratic legitimacy,” she said. “The opportunity to contribute to a project that investigates key issues in the public sphere, especially in the context of democratic deliberation in the digital age, is incredibly exciting for me. The interdisciplinary nature of ETICA, combining philosophy, political theory, and political and social sciences, allows me to expand my research and collaborate with leading scholars in these fields.”
Dr. Wei’s research at the Center will focus on understanding the nature of political beliefs. In her previous publications, she has argued that truth, rather than utility or pleasure, is the norm for belief. She believes philosophers and educators have a moral responsibility to practice philosophy for justice and liberation in a world some call “techno-feudalism.”
“I deeply share the Center’s mission to bring ethics and philosophy to public life, with the hope of making a real difference, to contribute to the development of this burgeoning democracy, and to transform the minds of young people. I think these are very important and admirable goals,” she said.
Rory Aird
Originally from Lesmahagow, Scotland, Dr. Rory Aird attended the University of Glasgow for his undergraduate, master’s, and Ph.D. in philosophy, completing the latter in 2025.
“I was inspired to join ETICA for a number of reasons,” Dr. Aird said. “First, the project’s aims and focus align almost exactly with my extant work. Moreover, the opportunity to work with such a towering figure in philosophy (and epistemology, specifically) as Professor Maria Baghramian played a big role.”
Dr. Aird’s research area is social and political epistemology. He is interested in “bad beliefs” and how to best combat them, whether by objecting to them or exploring alternative strategies. His current large-scale research project focuses on developing a concept of “epistemic legitimacy,” exploiting recent work in philosophy on the topic of misinformation. He is also writing a paper on whether large language models can really be a source of knowledge.
Beyond his research, Dr. Aird expressed enthusiasm for his transition to Armenia: “I also felt it was incredibly exciting to move to an entirely new country and hopefully learn the language — I’m taking lessons soon — partake in the culture, and just immerse myself in Yerevan and Armenia.”
Kinley Gillette
Dr. Kinley Gillette is a philosopher of science with a background in political theory. Prior to joining ETICA, he completed his Ph.D. in philosophy at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver.
Dr. Gillette’s research explores the role of science in democracy, with a specific focus on what happens when public health and the environmental sciences come under strain from democratic political processes and culture. Within ETICA’s theme of trust and hope in times of crisis, he examines how the science-democracy relationship can serve as both a site of hope for collective action and a site of crisis.
“The Center brings together a team whose members approach similar questions from different perspectives, creating the conditions for fruitful cross-pollination,” Dr. Gillette noted. “Additionally, living and working in Armenia is likely to inspire new directions in my research, given the country’s unique cultural, political, and economic landscape. With any luck, the work I do here will also end up being relevant to Armenia.”
His current research adapts the tools of political theory, such as the concept of a “veto power,” to imagine alternative approaches to problems like vaccine refusal. By focusing on the dynamics of power rather than solely on science communication, Dr. Gillette aims to develop effective interventions for increasing public buy-in for science-based policies.
Davit Akelyan
Davit Akelyan holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in philosophy and is currently completing his Ph.D. at Yerevan State University. His dissertation explores fallibilism within the context of contemporary problems in the philosophy of science, with a particular focus on epistemic justification, the growth of knowledge, scientific progress, and the implications of Fallibilist Social Methodology for socio-political and institutional issues.
Prior to joining ETICA, Akelyan served as a teaching associate for the Introduction to Ethics course at AUA. He is also a member of the Chatham House Common Futures Conversations program and serves as secretary of the Scientific Artsakh journal’s editorial board.
“Pursuing philosophy in contemporary times is often challenging, as rapidly advancing and highly visible disciplines tend to dominate attention,” Akelyan said. However, he noted that the accelerating pace of technological change and turbulent political conditions have renewed the importance of ethically grounded analysis. “I believe that this is precisely where philosophers today are called upon to step forward and contribute to public and intellectual life.”
Akelyan’s research centers on fallibilism as an epistemological and methodological framework for understanding how scientific knowledge develops through self-criticism and self-correction. He is currently working on the development of a Handbook in Applied Ethics in Armenian, which he views as an essential step toward strengthening ethics education and scholarship in the region.
Akelyan is excited to join ETICA and have the opportunity to contribute his expertise and skills to the Center’s vision and research. “I am committed to promoting philosophical thinking in Armenia, where public, academic and political discourse often lacks deeper conceptual clarity and ethical reflection. Today, more than ever, we need to strengthen these dimensions, especially among students and young scholars, which is essential for fostering more responsible and critically engaged forms of thinking.”
Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, affiliated with the University of California, and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission in the United States. AUA provides local and international students with Western-style education through top-quality undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.