The Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal Announces Editorial Leadership Changes
WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 30, 2026) — The Kennedy Institute of Ethics (KIE) at Georgetown University announces key changes to its leadership team and editorial board following the departure of Quill Kukla, PhD, who has accepted a prestigious appointment at Leibniz University Hannover. Aaron Gray, PhD candidate in Philosophy at Georgetown, has also left his position as Managing Editor of the KIEJ as he completes his studies.
Dr. Kukla, who had served as a Professor of Philosophy at Georgetown and Affiliated Faculty member at the Kennedy Institute of Ethics will join the Faculty of Humanities at Leibniz University Hannover. The move follows Dr. Kukla’s receipt of a renowned European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant to lead a major five-year research project on spatial agency and urban geography. Dr. Kukla will maintain ties to Georgetown, joining the Editorial Board of the Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal (KIEJ).
New Editorial Leadership at the KIEJ
The KIE is pleased to announce two key appointments to the Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal leadership team:
- Sean Aas, PhD, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Research Scholar at the KIE, will assume the role of Editor in Chief. Dr. Aas brings extensive expertise in bioethics, disability theory, and social philosophy to the editorial stewardship of the journal.
- Cassius Hou, JD candidate and PhD student in philosophy at Georgetown, will join the editorial team as Managing Editor, bringing strong editorial oversight and organizational strategy to the journal’s publication workflow.
“Quill Kukla’s scholarly contributions to the Kennedy Institute of Ethics and the KIEJ over the years have been thoughtful and innovative,” said Dan Sulmasy, MD, PhD, director of the Kennedy Institute. “We warmly congratulate Quill on securing the ERC Advanced Grant—one of the highest honors in European research—and look forward to ongoing collaboration as a KIEJ editorial board member.” Dr. Sulmasy also thanked Aaron Gray for his service as Managing Editor. “Aaron has been a diligent and capable managing editor and we wish him well as he completes his doctoral studies.”
“We are equally pleased to welcome Sean Aas and Cassius Hou to their new editorial roles at the KIEJ,” Dr. Sulmasy added. “Sean’s research interests, expertise, and collaborative nature will ensure the journal remains at the forefront of bioethics and applied philosophy. Cassius will continue the tradition of excellent administrative and subject matter proficiency and support. We look forward to the KIEJ’s ongoing success and thank them for accepting this assignment.”
About the Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal Published quarterly by Johns Hopkins University Press on behalf of the Kennedy Institute of Ethics, the KIEJ is an interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal featuring pioneering research in bioethics, environmental ethics, and related areas of applied philosophy.
Press Contact:
Maria Maisto, Director of Communications, Kennedy Institute of Ethics
mcm87@georgetown.edu