All Questions
71 questions
158
votes
8
answers
7k
views
Resources for mathematics advising.
This question is possibly ill-advised. (If it is not right for this site I will delete it.)
I, suddenly, have students.
It is very clear to me that there is nothing in my education that has ...
10
votes
7
answers
5k
views
How to/Can you get a PhD position when you need more experience first?
My friend loves mathematics and wants to continue research as a
mathematics PhD student, but this doesn't seem possible!
She did a prestigious but inadequate bachelors program (almost no math) and
...
54
votes
8
answers
6k
views
Proper way to deal with papers you've already refereed.
This question is anonymous for obvious reasons.
I referee what feels like a decent number of papers (though I don't know how many is normal!), and I try to take it seriously. Sometimes, based on ...
29
votes
9
answers
4k
views
Can breadth hurt a job candidate? [closed]
I am a junior mathematician, currently on the job market. I have been involved in a number of projects spread over several very different topics of mathematics, some being very mathematical projects ...
23
votes
5
answers
7k
views
Moving to academia from industry
I hope that the following question is suitable for MO. There have been several others in a similar vein, including this one about moving from maths into industry, this one about careers advice for ...
7
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Does it ever make sense NOT to go to the most prestigious grad school you can get into? [closed]
I'm a senior undergrad at a top-ish(say, top 15) math school. I'm a solid, not stellar, student. This year I'm taking the qualifying exam grad courses in algebra and analysis and have been taken aback ...
338
votes
16
answers
159k
views
What's a mathematician to do?
I have to apologize because this is not the normal sort of question for this site, but there have been times in the past where MO was remarkably helpful and kind to undergrads with similar types of ...
36
votes
3
answers
29k
views
What counts as an 'invited' talk?
When you write your CV, what do you count as an invited talk? Does it count if you're invited but not provided funding (this has happened to me several times at AMS special sessions)? What if someone ...
9
votes
1
answer
1k
views
How common is it for universities to create new positions for dual hires?
Let's say you happen to be a mathematician, and your spouse is also an academic and in a humanities field in which there are very few jobs advertised. Assuming that you can convince universities to ...
33
votes
3
answers
25k
views
How to transition from pure math PhD to nonacademic career?
I'm finishing up a PhD in math and am thinking about options outside of academia. So far, I've really only focused on pure mathematics, but I have a year left of grad school. Suppose I am interested ...
175
votes
8
answers
20k
views
How to escape the inclination to be a universalist or: How to learn to stop worrying and do some research.
As an undergraduate we are trained as mathematicians to be universalists. We are expected to embrace a wide spectrum of mathematics. Both algebra and analysis are presented on equal footing with ...
49
votes
4
answers
6k
views
How much reading do you do before you attack a problem?
When going off on a tangent from your regular area, where, presumably, you have such mastery of all cutting-edge research from your routine reading that you hardly need to do any extra (if this is ...
9
votes
1
answer
2k
views
website for jobs in applied or industrial mathematics (or financial math) [closed]
What are the websites for general position in applied or industrial mathematics(or financial mathematics) related jobs (that is if we have to find a non academic job temporarily) ?Thanks!
136
votes
14
answers
29k
views
Careers advice for Ph.D.s without current postdocs or university jobs
Hi,
I'm sure I'm not the only Ph.D. mathematician on MO in serious need of career advice. I'm sure there will be other readers in similar situations, who will find any good advice very helpful. Can ...
18
votes
5
answers
5k
views
Advice on changing topic for thesis problem
I am starting to find my thesis problem not meaningful nor interesting and too technical. As I learn more mathematics I am finding myself attracted to other topics and only started on my intital ...
24
votes
3
answers
5k
views
How do you make a good math research poster for a non-mathematical audience?
I have the opportunity to prepare a research poster for a non-mathematical, yet scientifically savvy audience, and I want to do it well. I have asked a few mathematicians, and I have heard the ...
19
votes
10
answers
6k
views
Research Experience for Undergraduates: Summer Programs
Some time ago, I found this list of REU programs held in 2009.
The main aspects that characterize such programs are: (a) a great deal of lectures on specific topics; and, admittedly more importantly,...
31
votes
11
answers
9k
views
Switching Research Fields
I am a recent PhD specializing in algebraic geometry. But I also want to do research in some other areas of math (e.g. quantum computation, compressed sensing, and PDE's). What would be a good way of ...
22
votes
6
answers
2k
views
When to split/merge papers?
I ran into the following problem. I have some lengthy paper in which I develop some theory to attack some problem. While I was working on this paper, I got some nice result which might interest a ...
16
votes
6
answers
17k
views
Curriculum vitae: including grants you've applied for, not received (or not yet received).
I've heard from multiple sources now that one's CV should include grants you've applied for, even if you didn't receive them or won't find out if you've received them until after your CV goes out. I ...
31
votes
7
answers
14k
views
Advice on doing mathematical research [closed]
Please share any general tips or advice you have on doing mathematical research.
How do you identify good problems to work on or to think about? What do you do when you get stuck on a problem? Etc.