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Switching from pure mathematics (e.g. geometry) to more applied areas (e.g imaging) after Ph.D., as a postdoc and chance of getting such a postdoc this way?

Before I start my question, I should probably mention that this question might not be the right question to ask here, but I tried academiabeta, and stackoverflow, but without getting any to-the-point responses. I also noticed that there were some questions of similar interest asked here, but mine is little different and more subject/situation-specific. Also I am afraid my question might be a little too long, pardon my slightly unnecessary detail!

Here is my situation: I am a pure mathematician finishing Ph.D., working in Riemann surfaces, Teichmueller theory and differential geometry (with published papers in decent journals), having backgrounds in these topics and some PDE and topology and have some introductory knowledge about programming. I have been wanting to switch to little more applied areas (described below) because: 1) I believe getting posts and grants are slightly easier in there, 2) my postdoc hunting in pure mathematics have resulted in vein (despite getting shortlisted twice in Europe). I wanted to switch later anyway but reason 2) is forcing me to think of it now.

By applied areas, I meant areas like medical imaging, computer vision or even theoretical biology (there are interesting works of Prof. Robert Penner on moduli spaces and protein folding, for example), where they use Riemann surface and differential geometry a lot, and I want to work in more theoretical problems, but would also like to learn more computational techniques (although secondary).

Without further ado, here is my question:

Since I have not published any single papers in those applied areas, or haven't had any formal training in them, what are my chances of getting a postdoc in these areas, being a pure mathematician all my life so far? If any of you have done so before, or are working in these applied areas, I would very much appreciate if you inform me! By informal communication with some people (who are Ph.D. students) working in these areas, I was informed that my backgrounds are good, but one or two professors I have contacted already mentioned that they want somebody with actual research experience in say imaging, which I do not have. So, I am not sure where I stand compared to other applicants. Your responses and honest opinion (even though not in my favor) will be highly appreciated! Thanks a lot in advance!

Switching from pure mathematics to more applied areas after Ph.D., as a postdoc and chance of getting a postdoc this way?

Before I start my question, I should probably mention that this question might not be the right question to ask here, but I tried academiabeta, and stackoverflow, but without getting any to-the-point responses. I also noticed that there were some questions of similar interest asked here, but mine is little different and more subject/situation-specific. Also I am afraid my question might be a little too long, pardon my slightly unnecessary detail!

Here is my situation: I am a pure mathematician finishing Ph.D., working in Riemann surfaces, Teichmueller theory and differential geometry (with published papers in decent journals), having backgrounds in these topics and some PDE and topology and have some introductory knowledge about programming. I have been wanting to switch to little more applied areas (described below) because: 1) I believe getting posts and grants are slightly easier in there, 2) my postdoc hunting in pure mathematics have resulted in vein (despite getting shortlisted twice in Europe). I wanted to switch later anyway but reason 2) is forcing me to think of it now.

By applied areas, I meant areas like medical imaging, computer vision or even theoretical biology (there are interesting works of Prof. Robert Penner on moduli spaces and protein folding, for example), where they use Riemann surface and differential geometry a lot, and I want to work in more theoretical problems, but would also like to learn more computational techniques (although secondary).

Without further ado, here is my question:

Since I have not published any single papers in those applied areas, or haven't had any formal training in them, what are my chances of getting a postdoc in these areas, being a pure mathematician all my life so far? If any of you have done so before, or are working in these applied areas, I would very much appreciate if you inform me! By informal communication with some people (who are Ph.D. students) working in these areas, I was informed that my backgrounds are good, but one or two professors I have contacted already mentioned that they want somebody with actual research experience in say imaging, which I do not have. So, I am not sure where I stand compared to other applicants. Your responses and honest (even though not in my favor) will be highly appreciated! Thanks a lot in advance!

Switching from pure mathematics (e.g. geometry) to more applied areas (e.g imaging) after Ph.D., as postdoc and chance of getting such a postdoc?

Before I start my question, I should probably mention that this question might not be the right question to ask here, but I tried academiabeta, and stackoverflow, but without getting any to-the-point responses. I also noticed that there were some questions of similar interest asked here, but mine is little different and more subject/situation-specific. Also I am afraid my question might be a little too long, pardon my slightly unnecessary detail!

Here is my situation: I am a pure mathematician finishing Ph.D., working in Riemann surfaces, Teichmueller theory and differential geometry (with published papers in decent journals), having backgrounds in these topics and some PDE and topology and have some introductory knowledge about programming. I have been wanting to switch to little more applied areas (described below) because: 1) I believe getting posts and grants are slightly easier in there, 2) my postdoc hunting in pure mathematics have resulted in vein (despite getting shortlisted twice in Europe). I wanted to switch later anyway but reason 2) is forcing me to think of it now.

By applied areas, I meant areas like medical imaging, computer vision or even theoretical biology (there are interesting works of Prof. Robert Penner on moduli spaces and protein folding, for example), where they use Riemann surface and differential geometry a lot, and I want to work in more theoretical problems, but would also like to learn more computational techniques (although secondary).

Without further ado, here is my question:

Since I have not published any single papers in those applied areas, or haven't had any formal training in them, what are my chances of getting a postdoc in these areas, being a pure mathematician all my life so far? If any of you have done so before, or are working in these applied areas, I would very much appreciate if you inform me! By informal communication with some people (who are Ph.D. students) working in these areas, I was informed that my backgrounds are good, but one or two professors I have contacted already mentioned that they want somebody with actual research experience in say imaging, which I do not have. So, I am not sure where I stand compared to other applicants. Your responses and honest opinion (even though not in my favor) will be highly appreciated! Thanks a lot in advance!

Source Link
Learning math
Learning math
  • 1.5k
  • 1
  • 15
  • 22

Switching from pure mathematics to more applied areas after Ph.D., as a postdoc and chance of getting a postdoc this way?

Before I start my question, I should probably mention that this question might not be the right question to ask here, but I tried academiabeta, and stackoverflow, but without getting any to-the-point responses. I also noticed that there were some questions of similar interest asked here, but mine is little different and more subject/situation-specific. Also I am afraid my question might be a little too long, pardon my slightly unnecessary detail!

Here is my situation: I am a pure mathematician finishing Ph.D., working in Riemann surfaces, Teichmueller theory and differential geometry (with published papers in decent journals), having backgrounds in these topics and some PDE and topology and have some introductory knowledge about programming. I have been wanting to switch to little more applied areas (described below) because: 1) I believe getting posts and grants are slightly easier in there, 2) my postdoc hunting in pure mathematics have resulted in vein (despite getting shortlisted twice in Europe). I wanted to switch later anyway but reason 2) is forcing me to think of it now.

By applied areas, I meant areas like medical imaging, computer vision or even theoretical biology (there are interesting works of Prof. Robert Penner on moduli spaces and protein folding, for example), where they use Riemann surface and differential geometry a lot, and I want to work in more theoretical problems, but would also like to learn more computational techniques (although secondary).

Without further ado, here is my question:

Since I have not published any single papers in those applied areas, or haven't had any formal training in them, what are my chances of getting a postdoc in these areas, being a pure mathematician all my life so far? If any of you have done so before, or are working in these applied areas, I would very much appreciate if you inform me! By informal communication with some people (who are Ph.D. students) working in these areas, I was informed that my backgrounds are good, but one or two professors I have contacted already mentioned that they want somebody with actual research experience in say imaging, which I do not have. So, I am not sure where I stand compared to other applicants. Your responses and honest (even though not in my favor) will be highly appreciated! Thanks a lot in advance!