All Questions
1,617 questions
220
votes
5
answers
48k
views
University rank/stature - How much does it affect one's career post-Ph.D?
What I'm trying to understand is, to what degree does the status/rank of the University (where one completes his/her Ph.D) matter while shaping his/her career after graduation? I would like to know ...
- 9,669
186
votes
6
answers
20k
views
Is it possible to recover after a career setback such as this?
My husband got a math PhD in 2009, and could not get a research post-doc in his chosen field. We had young children at that point, and he spent two years as a lecturer, applied for hundreds of jobs, ...
- 1,761
140
votes
4
answers
14k
views
How hard do early-career academics in the United States work, really?
I'm finishing a PhD in Sweden this year and seeking a post-doc in the United States (atmospheric remote sensing). It is clear that a job in academia is not a nine to five job; nor do I want it to be. ...
- 43.8k
126
votes
14
answers
30k
views
My student's family won't let her study what she wants
Yesterday I had a tearful encounter in office hours with the most avid participant in the math class I teach, in which she related the following situation.
She is an international student whose ...
- 1,362
125
votes
19
answers
43k
views
Should I quit my PhD - workload, self-esteem and social life [closed]
I don't really want a degree. I just want to get married, and have weekends and evenings off, and chill out and play board games, and have nice conversations with friends, and have time to exercise ...
- 2,529
124
votes
13
answers
55k
views
Why do students go for a PhD even when chances of getting academic jobs on its completion are slim?
This is in reference to my question: How to do a PhD to equip myself for a job as assistant professor.
I was told in the answer of the above linked question that chances of landing a job as an ...
- 2,786
114
votes
9
answers
40k
views
Googling my name reveals silly things from when I was younger. I am embarassed. How will this affect me in my future academic career?
I am a masters student at one of the top two universities in the UK and will be applying for PhD positions soon. When I google my (unique) name, the first few results are what you'd expect, my ...
- 1,119
92
votes
12
answers
27k
views
How should I proceed when a (famous) professor says I'm not good enough for research?
I am a PhD student in a Computer Science department, doing research of a mathematical nature. Some of my research problems drifted from my advisor's area of expertise, so I reached out to a researcher ...
- 791
91
votes
12
answers
17k
views
Why do researchers need universities?
This is a follow-up question to How are junior professors evaluated for promotion? and probably an even more naive question. If I'm understanding the answer correct, professors need funding to do ...
- 137k
84
votes
10
answers
16k
views
Stay in academia or become professor without overworking, is it possible?
I am referring more to young scientists after the PhD than professors, although I am also wondering about people with a stable position.
I see many people overworking themselves, burning-out, being ...
- 11.7k
80
votes
3
answers
26k
views
Life as a math professor
I am currently an undergraduate math major in my 3rd year (in America). I have taken lots of pure math courses, and anything I put in my resume tells potential employers I'm probably going to be an ...
- 957
75
votes
7
answers
16k
views
Should I admit that I can't find a solution to a math problem?
The problem is pretty much the title. I have a bachelor and master degree in applied math. I have been assigned a small problem to start with, from a professor (who is considered very good in my field)...
- 799
75
votes
9
answers
57k
views
I wasted six years of my life getting a PhD degree. What should I do, and how will I survive?
I struggled with low self confidence throughout my bachelors, masters and PhD in chemical engineering. After spending two years in Masters and six years in getting a PhD degree, I am lost at what I ...
- 747
71
votes
12
answers
33k
views
Why do so many PhDs choose to join academia instead of industry given the pay in academia is considerably lower and the workload is much heavier? [closed]
In the computer science field, an entry-level software engineer in top-tier tech companies (e.g. Google, Facebook, etc.) could earn as much as a 20-year experience professor. And the workload in ...
- 2,295
71
votes
5
answers
43k
views
What ratio of PhD graduates in STEM fields ultimately end up as (tenured) professors?
I recently saw this infogram circling around various social networks:
It appeared in this Tweet with the following claim:
Got a PhD? Your chance of becoming a Professor is 0.45%. Good luck.
Being ...
- 13.8k
71
votes
3
answers
5k
views
How do "scientific couples" (from different fields) find positions?
When two people in a couple are both in science, but specialised in different fields, how can they both find relevant positions but still be geographically reasonably proximate?
Compromise and change ...
- 43.8k
68
votes
10
answers
22k
views
A life of PhD: is it feasible?
In the next year I will (hopefully successfully) graduate from a PhD programme in pure mathematics. The location is (continental) Western Europe, the topic of the thesis is arithmetic geometry, if it ...
- 635
66
votes
5
answers
14k
views
Should I send a "cease-and-desist" letter to ResearchGate?
ResearchGate is pretty well placed on Google. But it does not have a lot of contents or active users, despite their constant invitation spam.
So they spidered a lot of publications, and provide some ...
- 2,832
64
votes
12
answers
45k
views
PhD and postdoc with no first author publications- realistically what are my career prospects?
I am a UK based researcher in life sciences. My research is in neuroscience, mainly involving in vivo electrophysiology. My PhD project was a disaster for a number of reasons (technical difficulties, ...
- 649
64
votes
15
answers
17k
views
Lecturer with anxiety. How to survive in academia?
I've been a long time member of academia.SE but I created this alt account because the question is a bit embarrassing. I finished my PhD 4 years ago and after a 2 year postdoc at a different ...
- 549
62
votes
11
answers
18k
views
How do I gain back my faith in my PhD degree?
I am 3 years into a PhD program at a top North American university in STEM. My daily routine includes working on my research and preparing for courses I am assisting. In general, I would say that ...
- 347
61
votes
6
answers
8k
views
How to get cited and how to boost the impact of one's work?
Six years ago while I was working in a company outside academia, I had been involved in improving a process which was hot in academia. I have developed a new method which, among other notable ...
- 1,519
58
votes
15
answers
10k
views
Do I have to include my pronouns in a course outline?
I am a TA in a US school and my professor told me to include my pronouns in the course outline. I personally would rather not for social and religious reasons.
Her argument was that I will confuse ...
- 627
58
votes
3
answers
20k
views
How long before PhD graduation should I start applying for post-doc positions?
My earliest PhD graduation date is 10 months away. Funding permits me to stay 1–3 months longer, so the final date is still uncertain.
It is never too early to make contacts for possible post-docs. ...
- 43.8k
57
votes
6
answers
77k
views
Non academic career options for PhD in Math
I am thinking of getting my M.S. in Computer Science. I chose C.S. because I enjoy programming and because its a solid choice, career wise. Low unemployment, good pay, all that jazz.
But my real ...
- 843
56
votes
7
answers
14k
views
Math Ph.D. does not know what to do with life? [closed]
Background: I am a Math Ph.D. student in the U.S. (originally from a developing nation) in partial differential equations (PDEs) but on the theoretical side of PDEs (no simulation, no numerical). I am ...
- 609
56
votes
6
answers
7k
views
Is it normal to feel dread before starting a faculty position?
I need some advice. After several months of interviews and work, I secured a faculty position at a good business school, which was a relief since jobs are so hard to get around here. Everyone tells me ...
- 1,461
55
votes
6
answers
11k
views
What kind of career path might be possible for a professor following a plagiarism scandal?
Prior to transferring to another university, I attended a college in a different state with a renown reputation for integrity and academic rigor. The year before I left, I enrolled in a course that ...
- 742
55
votes
7
answers
9k
views
Will not collaborating hurt the career of a math postdoc?
I am a math postdoc, and about to start applying for tenure-track (research oriented) jobs soon. Besides writing 2 papers with my Phd advisor while I was in graduate school, all the papers I wrote ...
- 461
55
votes
7
answers
9k
views
In academia, does the amount of material that one has to learn diminish as time progresses?
From my own point of view, the first year of a PhD is heavily packed with new information, theory, techniques, conventions, experimental abilities, etc. Let us call all these elements "material". This ...
- 1,718
52
votes
15
answers
16k
views
If you know a family member who is much more qualified and capable in mathematics than you are, should find another field of specialisation?
Imposter Syndrome and depression: I feel pretty depressed that I am not as "qualified" as a close family member. In particular, this family member has undergraduate and graduate (PhD) degrees from Ivy ...
- 561
52
votes
13
answers
20k
views
Is it possible to start a PhD at 36 without taking a huge hit financially?
I'm currently working as a Senior Engineer (Mechanical) for a large company. However, I am increasingly finding the work to be dull and lacking in challenge. I don't think I can bear to spend the next ...
- 1,895
52
votes
5
answers
5k
views
What to do when you are a promised a research-based research associate role but are required to act in an IT support role?
First some background. Two years ago I joined a research group as a research associate. My intention in obtaining that position was to publish with the group and build some academic capital, but in ...
- 1,050
52
votes
6
answers
17k
views
Do universities prefer not to hire their own PhD graduates in faculty positions? [closed]
I have heard that universities tend not to hire people who earned their PhD there for professorships (tenured or not). (I've read this question, but it's about postdocs: Is it normal that research ...
- 31.5k
51
votes
9
answers
9k
views
What post PhD path alternatives are there?
Progression in academia, in general, seems and feels extremely linear, i.e. you do your undergrad, then you do graduate studies, then you do a post-doc (or two, or three ... ) and eventually if you ...
- 17.9k
50
votes
11
answers
21k
views
Career advice: How can I move on from my probable PhD flop?
So thing aren't going well for me with my PhD and I sort of think I'm not going to get there (hard deadline is September and frankly I think I'm fairly close to having a breakdown). I'm in the UK and ...
50
votes
9
answers
7k
views
How to reconcile desire to succeed in academia/willingness to prioritize research with ethical concerns about fair work practices?
I'm not 100% sure how to phrase my question, but I've been grappling with this for sometime and thought maybe the responses would provide me some insight.
I'm currently at PhD student soon to be on ...
- 2,057
49
votes
5
answers
9k
views
Is talking about quitting to your supervisor a point of no return?
I have been feeling miserable about my PhD degree situation for a bit of time, and I just started therapy. So far I've tried not to take drastic decisions such as quitting, because I know I am ...
- 1,061
49
votes
7
answers
7k
views
What's the point of maintaining a CV after tenure?
Once you have tenure, presumably you're never going to have to search for a job again. However almost all professors have a CV on their website, and fairly recent ones. Why? They already made it.
user41631
48
votes
10
answers
20k
views
Is postdoc experience valued by industry?
I have recently finished my PhD and am currently considering my options. I have come to the conclusion that the teaching or the "publish or perish" nature of academia isn't really appealing for me.
...
- 17.9k
48
votes
2
answers
3k
views
How do academics reconcile simultaneously collaborating and competing with colleagues?
In many fields of academia, a professor must get grants to fund his research (e.g., medicine, biology).
Early in academic career, a scientist can have naive expectations about how things work in ...
- 3,045
47
votes
18
answers
29k
views
Just graduated with a master’s degree, but I internalised nothing [closed]
I just graduated with a software-engineering master’s degree with a good grade from a top-five university in the UK. I also have a bachelor's in computer science.
I always revised just for exams and ...
- 1
46
votes
15
answers
17k
views
MS in Mathematics, having trouble finding work outside teaching algebra
10 years ago, I got an undergraduate degree in IT/CompSci from a good school. I spent most of my hours playing video games or drinking beer, and learned only enough to get a barely passing GPA. I ...
- 606
46
votes
7
answers
6k
views
Any place for people with fear of writing?
This isn't the best moment to ask the question, since I should be writing an overdue document and presentation.
However, is there any place where a person with fear of writing can work? I am ...
- 1,061
46
votes
10
answers
9k
views
Can I get an office in a university as an independent scholar?
I have a math-related PhD but currently work as a software developer. One day, when I retire from software development, is it possible to "join" a local university's math/cs department as an ...
- 629
45
votes
4
answers
15k
views
To enroll in to a PhD Program at the age of 65
As a retired school teacher, and to become a professor at a university. Is it okay to get into a PhD program at the age of 65 and complete it to become a professor? Or is it too late and I can’t get ...
- 429
44
votes
2
answers
41k
views
How to write a research statement for a math postdoc position?
I am a graduate student in mathematics working on functional analysis of quantum information (basically using matrix techniques in some well-known problems). I am presently applying for postdoctoral ...
- 1,303
43
votes
9
answers
119k
views
Who actually is a Post-Doctoral fellow?
Many of us often talk about Bachelor's and Master's students, PhD students, researchers, professors, and postdocs.
But, do we know what we actually intend when we say "Post-Doc"?
We all know that a ...
- 6,893
43
votes
11
answers
13k
views
Thinking about leaving academia for good. I am feeling guilty and disappointed in myself. Any thoughts/advice?
I have a PhD in mechanical engineering and am currently a postdoc. I have been fairly productive in my research, published fair amount of papers during my 5 years PhD and 1.5 years of Postdoc ...
- 867
43
votes
6
answers
12k
views
How to deal with constant stress and uncertainty in academia?
I know there are a lot of similar questions but most of them are related to stress/pressure from their supervisor. I am doing my PhD and I am in my third year out of four. Everything is going very (or ...
- 869