Katherine Brading, D.Phil.
Dean's Award for Excellence in Mentoring
Chair and Professor in the Department of Philosophy
BIO
Katherine Brading, D.Phil., is the chair of the Duke Department of Philosophy, in which she is also a professor. Brading received her B.Sc. from King’s College London in 1992, her B.Phil. from the University of Oxford in 1996, and her D.Phil. from the University of Oxford in 2003.
Following her D.Phil., Brading moved to the University of Notre Dame (2004-2017), where she received fellowships from the National Science Foundation and the American Council of Learned Societies, and served as Director of the History and Philosophy of Science Graduate Program (2011-2016), and tenured Professor of Philosophy. In July 2017, she came to serve in her current role at Duke as a professor of philosophy.
Brading’s research in philosophy of science focuses on the history and philosophy of physics, including symmetries in physics and Noether’s theorems. Her most recent work concerns the relationship between physics and philosophy in the 18th century, and the recovery of Frenchwoman Emilie Du Châtelet as an important philosopher of the period.
ON MENTORING
What do you think are the most important qualities of a good mentor for graduate students?
I think different students need different things, and figuring out whether you’re a good match with the student you’re working with is key. Being able to listen so that you really hear what they’re saying is first and foremost. Then, being a trustworthy partner for them as they pursue their journey.
How have you evolved as a mentor compared to when you first started mentoring?
These days, I am much more attentive to my own limitations relative to the particular needs of a given student at a particular time. This means I’m much quicker to identify the gaps and get help when I don’t have the mentoring skills that are called for. Successful mentoring requires teamwork.
The benefits of a mentoring relationship for the mentee are obvious, but what do you, as the mentor, gain from it?
Mentoring relationships with graduate students are partnerships with interesting people undertaking risky journeys pursuing things they care about. What a privilege. It’s fun, it’s exhausting, it’s intellectually and emotionally rewarding. Helping to provide an environment in which young people go on to do more than they imagined, and more than they ever could have done alone, gives me energy and makes me happy.
IN THEIR WORDS
Excerpts from Brading's nomination
“One of Katherine’s strengths is her innovative approach to advising. She works closely with students to improve their work through creative methods — such as encouraging us to cut out and rearrange paragraphs of a manuscript, or to contemplate a challenging problem during a walk in the woods — to help us see our ideas from new perspectives.”
“Katherine is a highly compassionate, approachable, and warm department chair, maintaining an open-door policy for students, thereby creating a trusting environment in the department. This makes the graduate students feel comfortable seeking advice on both academic and/or personal challenges that occur during graduate school.”
“As a teacher, she prioritizes the scholarly as well as professional development of her students, she is a judicious and fair critic of coursework who offers generous amounts of feedback, and makes it clear that she is always available as an academic resource outside the classroom.”