Dr. Carlo Ierna, Assistant Professor, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, c.ierna@vu.nl

Areas of Specialization:
History of philosophy, cognition, and computation; Symbolic intentionality; School of Brentano; (early) phenomenology

Areas of Competence: History and philosophy of mathematics and logic; history and philosophy of science and technology; philosophy of mind and language;

Education

• PhD in Philosophy, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (2004 – 2009)
• MSc in Cognitive Artificial Intelligence, Utrecht University (2003 – 2008)
• MA in Philosophy, Utrecht University (1998 – 2002)

Professional development & qualifications

• Leadership and Management (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam 2026)
• Supervising PhDs – Begeleiden van Promovendi (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam 2024)
• Leergang Onderwijsinnovatie – Educational Innovation (Comenius Netwerk – Hogeschool Utrecht 2023)
• BKO – University Teaching Qualification (Utrecht University 2016)

Grants & Awards

• 2024: KNAW Evert Willem Beth Foundation grant (€ 1.000,–)
• 2023: Team member “Broadening our Past to prepare for our Future” with Marije Martijn, Monika Kirloskar, Lilith Lee, SKO Innovation Fund Grant (€ 10.000), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
• 2020 – 2022: Comenius Teaching Fellowship: education research grant, Netherlands Initiative for Education Research, NRO (€ 50.000,–), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
• Nov. 2019: KnowVU Award for Innovation in Teaching (€ 7.500,–), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
• 2019 – 2024: PI, WP leader, HERMES, Horizon 2020 (€ 252.875,– of € 8.429.857,50 total), Radboud University Nijmegen
• 2012 – 2016: postdoctoral research grant, NWO VENI, (€ 250.000,–), Utrecht University
• 2009 – 2012: postdoctoral research grant, FWO – Vlaanderen (~ € 150.000,–), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
• 2004 – 2009: doctoral research grant, FWO – Vlaanderen (~ € 150.000,–), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

Employment history

• Apr 2022 – Assistant Professor, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
• Jul 2019 – Mar 2022 Lecturer, Comenius Fellowship, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
• Mar 2019 – Jan 2024 Researcher, Horizon 2020 grant, Radboud University Nijmegen
• 2017 Researcher at the Institute of Philosophy, Czech Academy of the Sciences, Prague
• 2016-2019 Visiting positions at the universities of Groningen, Leiden, Nijmegen, Utrecht, and the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, teaching courses on History of Philosophy, Logic, Philosophy of Language, and Philosophy of Mind.
• 2012-2016 Researcher, NWO VENI grant, Utrecht University
• 2009-2012 Postdoctoral Fellow, FWO grant, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

Editorial roles:

• Editorial Board, Phenomenological Investigations
• International Scientific Advisory Board, Brentano Studies and the Aristotelian Tradition
• International Scientific Committee, Acta Mexicana de Fenomenologia
• Scientific Board, Phenomenological Reviews

Memberships and affiliations:

• Society for the History of the Philosophy of Technology
• Research Network “Theory of History” (Huizinga Institute)
• KNHG (Royal Netherlands Historical Society)
• North American Society for Early Phenomenology (NASEP)
• HOPOS, the International Society for the History of Philosophy of Science
• Society for the History of the Humanities
• The Dutch Research School of Philosophy (OZSW, section History of Philosophy)
• Descartes Centre for the History and Philosophy of the Sciences and the Humanities
• International Circle of Husserl Scholars (Husserl Circle)

Committees & Service:

• Program coordinator Bachelor Philosophy (Sep 2026 -)
• Member of the Daily Board of the Works Council of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Sep 2026 – Sep 2029)
• Member of the Works Council (Ondernemingsraad) of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Sep 2026 – Sep 2029)
• NWO Humanities Roundtable (Mar 2025 – Mar 2028)
• Comenius Network member: working group The Future Now (2024 – )
• Chair of the Programme Committee (Opleidingscommissie) Philosophy, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (2023 – 2026)
• Member of the Works Council (Ondernemingsraad) of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Sep 2023 – Sep 2026)
• Comenius Network: chair of the Circle Inclusivity (2022 – 2023)
• Comenius Network member: working groups Sustainable Teaching and Inclusivity (2020 – 2023)
• Secretary of the Programme Committee (Opleidingscommissie) Philosophy, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (2019 – 2023)
• Member OZSW section committee History of Philosophy (2014-2016)
• Member of the Utrecht Philosophical Café committee (2013 – 2016)
• Member of the Utrecht University Library commission for History of Philosophy (2012 – 2016)
• Member of the Faculty Council, Faculty of Philosophy, Utrecht University (1999-2002)

Other activities:

• Organizer Symposium “Symbolic Intentionality and Symbolic Technologies” (30-01-2025, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
• Organizer Symposium “Perspectives on African Philosophy and Philosophy in Africa” (31-03-2022, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
• Organizer Symposium “Student and Teacher Perspectives on the Canon”(30-06-2021, VU)
• Organizer Symposium “Student Perspectives on Canon Reform” (08-12-2020, VU)
• Organizer international workshop “The School of Brentano and the Rise of Scientific Philosophy” (29 & 30-09-2016, Utrecht University)
• Co-organizer FUF Symposium “Geschiedenis en Grondslagen van de Geesteswetenschappen” (16-06-2016, Utrecht University)
• Organizer Workshops of the OZSW working group “Philosophy around 1900” (01-07-2014, 03-12-2014, 29-06-2015, 24-11-2015, 20-06-2016, Utrecht University)
• Coordinator OZSW reading group “History of Phenomenology” (2014 – 2016)
• Coordinator OZSW working group “Philosophy around 1900” (2013 – 2016)
• Co-organizer of the Schuhmann Colloquium (13-06-2013, Utrecht University)
• Co-organizer of the Husserl Memorial Lecture (2007 – 2012, Utrecht University)
• Co-organizer of the “Graduate Workshop in Phenomenology” (2011, KULeuven)
• Co-organizer of the international conference “Philosophy – Phenomenology – Sciences” (2009, KULeuven)
• Organizer of the “Graduate Workshop in Phenomenology” (2008, KULeuven)
• Co-organizer of the international conference “Phenomenology and Language” (2006, KULeuven)
• Co-founder, designer of the faculty journal for philosophy “De FilosooF”, Faculty of Philosophy, Utrecht University (1999-2002)
• Secretary, Student Association for Philosophy (FUF), Faculty of Philosophy, Utrecht University (1999-2000 and 2000-2001)

Languages

• Dutch (native)
• Italian (native)
• English (near-native, C2)
• German (near-native, C2, written C1)
• Classical Greek & Latin