Questions tagged [career]

For questions about careers and jobs in mathematics (inside and outside academia)

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38 votes
3 answers
4k views

How to write mathematics without typing?

What solutions exist for mathematicians who need to write papers, but can't type? (I'm an early-career research mathematician and I can't type for the next few months.)
Anonymous's user avatar
  • 391
1 vote
2 answers
383 views

Are there grants supporting sabbatical year in US? [closed]

I am a tenured mathematician at a university outside of the US. I would be interested to spend my sabbatical year in one of the US universities. Are there grants I can apply to partially support my ...
2 votes
0 answers
330 views

How to handle a research identity crisis

I have studied applied math and got a PhD (3yrs) in that field with applications in fluid dynamics. Then in my first postdoc (1.5yrs) I did again a postdoc in applied math but studied applications in ...
Riri's user avatar
  • 31
10 votes
3 answers
1k views

Research in mathematics without a degree in mathematics

This question might not make much sense or be a big deal for someone but I genuinely would like to know the opinions. I am currently a software developer in a small start-up. I had to drop out of ...
-4 votes
1 answer
422 views

Amount of mathematical knowledge required for starting Ph.D. in pure mathematics [closed]

How much mathematics should one know before starting a Ph.D. program in pure mathematics? For example what topics one must understand well to pursue a Ph.D. in US University in Number Theory (...
SARTHAK GUPTA's user avatar
-5 votes
1 answer
460 views

How much would a mathematician cost? [closed]

Recently our department lost one of the best professors who was attracted by a better University. If we were a football club, and he were a leading player, we would receive many millions of ...
60 votes
10 answers
12k views

What do you do when you're stuck?

I'm pretty sure almost all mathematicians have been in a situation where they found an interesting problem; they thought of many different ideas to tackle the problem, but in all of these ideas, there ...
5 votes
4 answers
456 views

Funding programs for mathematical research [closed]

In the USA, as far as I know, the main grants available to mathematicians are collected on the NSF or the AMS websites [please, correct me if this perception is inaccurate]. On the other hand, for ...
72 votes
8 answers
11k views

What to do after a pure math academic path?

I don't know whether my question is in the appropriate place. I've studied physics, and then did a PhD in (pure) math and 2 postdocs. I definitely love math research, but I am not ready to apply all ...
25 votes
8 answers
14k views

Is it possible to start a PhD in mathematics at the age of 29? [duplicate]

I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. I was initially focused on branches in analysis like operator algebra. At the third year of my undergraduate study, I experienced a financial ...
2 votes
0 answers
279 views

How does one build and refine strong technical skills relevant to research?

I am an early career researcher working in an area of "hard" analysis but this is a fairly broad question. My technical skills are likely below par and my greatest hindrance to my research ...
J.B.R's user avatar
  • 29
18 votes
4 answers
3k views

What are the "hot" topics in mathematical QFT at the time?

I am currently finishing my Master's studies in mathematical physics. One topic which always interested me a lot were modern mathematical approaches to Quantum Field Theory (QFT) as well as the ...
13 votes
3 answers
2k views

Is computer algebra or symbolic computation an active area of research?

I'm interested in doing PhD in computer algebra or symbolic computation, and was wondering if this is an active area of research? Would this area of research also help me in the transition to ...
2 votes
3 answers
2k views

What kind of jobs are available for a quantum logician?

What kind of jobs are there for someone with a strong, research-level theoretical background in the topic? I'm especially interested in the industry rather than academic jobs.
qk11's user avatar
  • 505
35 votes
15 answers
9k views

Is pure mathematics useful outside of mathematics itself? [closed]

From time to time Mathoverflow allows soft questions because they are arguably best answered by active mathematicians and they can benefit other mathematicians/PhD students/math undergraduates. I ...
1 vote
1 answer
533 views

I want to enter graduate school in pure math. Is doing REU in “mathematical modeling” a good idea? Is it an essential skill to learn?

(please let me know if this question is not suitable here) Hello! I'm an undergraduate rising senior majoring in mathematics and it seems that I got rejected by an REU that is held in my university ...
jk001's user avatar
  • 129
0 votes
1 answer
652 views

Applying Phd directly after undergraduate [closed]

I'm a math undergraduate and I'm about to finish my second year at UCL. It's time to consider my graduate school, and I have some questions about it. In the UK, many universities provide math PhD ...
Nonenicht's user avatar
24 votes
1 answer
2k views

Is an interpretation mathematics (fit for publication)?

Background I am a mathematician with two published papers. The first is based on my PhD thesis and generalised a tool to a more general setting. The thesis was cited a number of times by the time the ...
Newbie's user avatar
  • 265
1 vote
1 answer
618 views

What qualities and achievements can outweigh bad grades? [closed]

I will try to formulate my question so that the answer is not opinion-based. My question: Considering a undergraduate math student planning to pursue a PhD program, what qualities and achievements can ...
user avatar
8 votes
0 answers
1k views

How difficult will it be to start doing research in pure mathematics in the near future? [closed]

I am a first year PhD student in mathematics (complex differential and Kahler Geometry) and the other day I had a thought about the difficulty of starting to do research. This is my first post here ...
9 votes
1 answer
630 views

how mathematicians do research? [closed]

I am a first-year physics graduate student with a deep interest in mathematics. I am specifically interested in algebraic geometry and algebraic topology, and I would like to employ advanced ...
anyon's user avatar
  • 99
0 votes
1 answer
655 views

Advice for PhD in Algebra

I hope that this question is okay to post here. I'm in my final year of my master's degree in Sweden, and I'm starting to feel that some doors are closing in regards to applying for a postgraduate ...
3 votes
1 answer
703 views

Math graduate school applications and personal hardships [closed]

This question is on mathematics, career, and personal life. I.) Assumptions. i.) Suppose that I am a Junior in college majoring in mathematics at a top research institution in the U.S. I have "...
0 votes
1 answer
740 views

Is it all right to invite a professor to cowrite a paper

I managed to improve the techniques of a year-old paper to get a significantly stronger result. I used original ideas, but a large part relies upon results of the original paper. (to the point that ...
3 votes
2 answers
576 views

Which fields of mathematics are most straightforward for a statistician to do research in, other than probability theory?

I have a Ph.D. in Statistics and have always been interested in pure mathematics, but never had a chance to really pursue it. My mathematics background includes real analysis, linear algebra, ...
astatistician's user avatar
10 votes
2 answers
2k views

Can learning Riemann surfaces be more beneficial than numerical analysis for an analyst?

I am in master program of mathematics, specialized in PDE and numerical analysis. Now I am trying to decide which classes to take for next semester. Of course I want to become an expert in my field, ...
Jingeon An-Lacroix's user avatar
31 votes
6 answers
8k views

Pros and cons of specializing in an esoteric research area

If a mathematician specializes in a popular research area, then there are many job positions available, but at the same time, many competitors who are willing to get such job positions. For an ...
2 votes
0 answers
300 views

What kind of work experience should be included in a math CV?

I am applying to numerous PhD programs in number theory for admission next Fall and I want to have a CV prepared, in part because I want to attach a CV to emails I send out to professors at some of my ...
ChimiSeanGa's user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
1k views

How many graduate students in mathematics are there worldwide?

There is already a question about the number of research mathematicians here, but I was wondering : is it possible to estimate the number of graduate students in mathematics worldwide in 2019 ? (...
Butini's user avatar
  • 315
14 votes
1 answer
2k views

A paper seems to have completely disappeared from editor's hands

I have submitted a paper to a journal on June 2017. The corresponding author is my coauthor. The first response of the editor was after a year, June 2018: Your paper has been sent, consecutively, ...
1 vote
1 answer
236 views

Can NSF Broader Impact be an unrelated volunteer activity? [closed]

I’m a graduate student preparing to apply for an NSF fellowship and I volunteer a few hours a week working on what I think is a pretty important cause. It has nothing to do with my research or science ...
Josh's user avatar
  • 11
16 votes
1 answer
2k views

Ways to help a math PhD out of depression [closed]

I have a friend who is having trouble in his math PhD career and is recently down with depression. He has decided to take a break from research and receive some medication. To help him recover faster ...
Fan Zheng's user avatar
  • 5,119
1 vote
0 answers
191 views

Doubts related Shifting from Pure to Applied math [closed]

I am a second year (Pure) Math and (Theoretical) Physics undergraduate in India. I want to do a masters in Applied/Computational Science or Math, for which I have apply after next 7 months. I have ...
Tiramisu's user avatar
  • 127
0 votes
1 answer
261 views

Thematic programs for collaborative research (similar to the one in Bonn) [closed]

The Hausdorff Institute in Bonn periodically organizes thematic junior trimester programs, which "give young mathematicians (postdocs, junior faculty) the opportunity to carry out collaborative ...
23 votes
0 answers
509 views

"Matchmaking website" for project-specific mathematical collaborations [closed]

It seems that even in the age of Internet, most mathematical collaborations are born (and pursued) off-line. However, I wonder if there exists a "matchmaking website" for mathematical ...
user avatar
11 votes
2 answers
830 views

How to organize collaborations? Managing shared library and LaTeX document

What is an effective way to organize collaborations with several people on the same paper? How do you arrange the $\LaTeX$ document, the shared (digital) papers library, and other aspects? More in ...
3 votes
0 answers
810 views

Transitioning From Pure Mathematics to Applied Mathematics/Machine Learning

I recently completed a doctorate in pure mathematics. While in the program, I decided that research was not my ultimate goal/calling. Applied mathematics and machine learning seemed to grab my ...
PureMathGuy's user avatar
44 votes
3 answers
9k views

Publishing a Simple Paper as an Undergraduate

First off I apologize if this question does not belong here, I would be happy to hear about any better locations to post this on. I am a (first year) undergraduate mathematics student, and I recently ...
2 votes
0 answers
520 views

How practical is it to change research areas within math after a PhD? [closed]

The title says most of it really. How constrained are you in an academic career based on the topic of your PhD thesis? Is it plausible for someome to be researching in an area of math vastly different ...
Joe's user avatar
  • 37
45 votes
3 answers
13k views

A second Ph.D. in mathematics?

I have now some problems about my research Career, I would like to tell my stories. I am a Chinese guy, but now a Ph.D. candidate in Germany, in the field of so called 'Geometric Analysis', but I do ...
4 votes
1 answer
1k views

"Significant results" vs "Key outcomes or Other achievements" [closed]

The NSF annual report asks for "Significant results" and "Key outcomes or Other achievements." What is the difference between these two categories?
user124713's user avatar
3 votes
0 answers
846 views

How to find research topics in Linear Algebra in Graph Theory [closed]

Note: My first question in this site. MSE users asked me to post this question here for better response I am a Masters student in Pure Mathematics. I need to do a Masters thesis in "Linear Algebra ...
user avatar
51 votes
8 answers
14k views

The "derived drift" is pretty unsatisfying and dangerous to category theory (or at least, to me) [closed]

I'm currently a young, not-so-young mathematician, finishing its second postdoc. I developed an interest for rather different topics in the last few years but constantly, slowly converged towards ...
92 votes
2 answers
14k views

Coming out as transgender in the mathematical community

I don't know if MO is the right place to ask such a question, but anyway it's my only hope to get an answer, and it's very important for me (not to say 'vital'); so let's try. I'm at this time a Ph.D....
9 votes
0 answers
1k views

Can the Math 2.0 Forum's Closure be prevented? [closed]

Apologies if this is not regarded as suitable for MO, but I have noticed other "soft" questions and feel this deserves some attention by the community, and did not know where else this could be asked. ...
36 votes
3 answers
5k views

Dealing with unwanted co-authorship requests

This post is a sequel to: Collaboration or acknowledgment? The following has come to my attention. A senior mathematician (let us call him or her Alice) suggested a problem to a young mathematician (...
29 votes
17 answers
7k views

Research-only permanent positions worldwide

Most academic jobs involve some amount of teaching. Post-docs generally do not, but they are only short-term positions. Question: in which countries can one obtain a research-only permanent ...
29 votes
3 answers
3k views

Etiquette of publishing folklore results

I am wondering what is the etiquette of publishing a "folklore" result? Though special cases of the result are well-known, the proof is not readily available in any reference text or paper I've seen....
0 votes
1 answer
311 views

Are there any informal rules to follow before submitting a paper? [closed]

EDIT Possibly my question might sound strange, sorry about that. I got a PhD in another country years ago. Recently I moved to the US and have a tenured position. Assume I wrote a paper and want to ...
user101448's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
1k views

How hard is it for a teaching-oriented lecturer to get tenure in mathematics in the United States? [closed]

My questions is different from this post. Suppose a math's PhD is 1) not very successful in his PhD program research and fails to find an ideal postdoc.(But he is still eligible to gain a PhD ...
No One's user avatar
  • 1,545