All Questions
71 questions
15
votes
6
answers
2k
views
What does keep you "doing what you do"? [closed]
I am towards the end of my Phd (with some difficultues to overcome, I can say I am really satisfied about it) and I was wondering about what to do next. There are basically two paths: academia or ...
- 835
39
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.)
- 401
59
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 ...
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 ...
15
votes
3
answers
2k
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 ...
7
votes
3
answers
904
views
What are journal rankings that employers look at? [closed]
What are journal rankings that employers look at?
There are few questions on this topic already, but I don't think they fully address my question. Please close this one if it is not appropriate for ...
74
votes
8
answers
14k
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 ...
31
votes
19
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 ...
1
vote
2
answers
433
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
2
votes
0
answers
382
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 ...
- 31
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 ...
-4
votes
1
answer
551
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 (...
- 312
7
votes
1
answer
587
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 ...
- 79
43
votes
11
answers
8k
views
Research topics restricted to students at top universities?
Hello everybody.
I am a Ph.D student in North America looking for advice about my prospective research area.
My supervisor works in a research area, let's say area A, so as soon as I was accepted as ...
-1
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Publication Of 50 pages [closed]
Does anyone know of a research journal in mathematics that is willing to publish 50 pages of peer-review research? I would like to submit research that explores how to develop predicate models for ...
5
votes
4
answers
500
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 ...
44
votes
3
answers
10k
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 ...
31
votes
5
answers
6k
views
Beginner's questions on the post-doc application
I am going on the (research oriented) post-doc job market (mainly in the US) this winter and would like to ask some questions. I am aware of the site http://academia.stackexchange.com, but I am ...
0
votes
1
answer
748
views
Advice for PhD in Algebra [closed]
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 ...
1
vote
1
answer
588
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 ...
- 129
53
votes
8
answers
11k
views
Publishing a bad paper?
First, I apologize if mathoverflow is a bad fit for this question, but it is the only place where I can think to get advice from professionals given my circumstance. I'm also sorry about any vagueness ...
43
votes
8
answers
7k
views
Should one attack hard problems? [closed]
When I applied for a PhD student position I had an interview with two professors. Somehow we touched the problem if $P$ is $NP$ and, once we got there, for some reason both professors made it clear ...
3
votes
1
answer
805
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 "...
75
votes
7
answers
19k
views
What items MUST appear on a mathematician's CV?
Writing a CV makes me paranoid that I'm failing to abide by unwritten rules. Of course CVs are flexible to capture the diversity of accomplishments someone might have. But there must be plenty of ...
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 ...
3
votes
1
answer
577
views
What kind of work experience should be included in a math CV for PhD programs?
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 ...
- 159
8
votes
1
answer
1k
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 ...
17
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Research and exposition: how does writing "basic" books affect your "serious" research work?
I can see the benefit of writing a mathematical monograph: you revise and organize your own work and recollect the key ideas of your own research. But this applies only to books aimed at researchers ...
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 ...
55
votes
5
answers
49k
views
Advice for pure-math Phd students [closed]
Pursuing a Phd in pure math can be a daunting task. A number of students who begin a Phd in pure math don't complete it, and there are high-quality dissertations and those which are not so high ...
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 ...
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.
22
votes
7
answers
3k
views
Where to find (personal) motivation [closed]
I think it would be appropriate to make this question CW...
It is likely that this question will not survive here on MO for long, but I do hope that the community gives it a chance. I also hope to ...
49
votes
3
answers
13k
views
how to use arxiv?
This is a soft question. How do people usually use arxiv to put their papers? At which stage does one usually put his/her paper/report there? Someone suggests me to submit a paper while putting it on ...
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 ...
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 ...
0
votes
1
answer
828
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 ...
- 133
8
votes
0
answers
2k
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 ...
12
votes
1
answer
651
views
What would you do if you improve your own result that is submitted but not published?
Here is a hypothetical situation:
You have proven a result and written up a paper about it. You have submitted your article to some journal and it is being reviewed.
While you are waiting, you have ...
29
votes
3
answers
4k
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....
1
vote
1
answer
928
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 ...
user173409
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,...
3
votes
0
answers
870
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 ...
user101506
11
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Use of an appendix in a long paper
I am writing a long paper (around 100 pages). I would consider 50 pages of it interesting in that it solves a problem of some significance in my field and contains an number of difficult ideas in the ...
13
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Is it possible to get another math PhD
My undergrad being in a field other than mathematics (and not in the US), I couldn't get into the Princeton/Harvard/MIT tier of universities for my math PhD. I settled for a lesser program and got my ...
26
votes
5
answers
3k
views
Presenting work in progress [closed]
At some point in the evolution of a project, one has to decide when to start talking about it in seminars and at conferences. I am interested in hearing about how other mathematicians make this ...
26
votes
2
answers
2k
views
When a journal doesn't give your work a fair chance [closed]
There is no way around the fact that determinations about the relative contributions of papers and journal acceptances will always be highly subjective. In addition, editors and referees are busy ...