Yuki Ueda joined the Department of Philosophy at Rice University in 2025. His research focuses on the nature of value. He explores this subject by connecting it with agency and the mental act of valuing, situating his work at the intersection of value theory and philosophy of mind. He is also attempting to articulate a theory of well-being on which the good life consists in engaging with what one values.

In pursuing these projects, he draws inspiration from the history of philosophy, particularly process philosophy, pragmatism, and Japanese philosophy, building on his earlier studies in Japan.