Graduation Yeji Streppel

We are delighted to congratulate Yeji Streppel on successfully defending her PhD thesis, “Beyond the Black Box”, on October 03, 2025.

Yeji’s research explores how machine learning reshapes understanding, explanation, and values in society, examining the ways in which AI systems challenge our traditional ideas of knowledge, rights, and responsibility. Her work shows that while machine learning models—from tools like ChatGPT to systems used in hospitals or policy institutions—can enhance decision-making, they also raise crucial philosophical and ethical questions about transparency, fairness, and embedded values.

Supervised by Philip Nickel and Emily Sullivan, Yeji’s dissertation offers a nuanced perspective on how we interpret, explain, and regulate AI-driven decisions in science, policy, and everyday life.