Academia

Questions tagged [two-body-problem]

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The two-body problem is a dilemma for spouses (or any other couple) working in typically academia (or sometimes other fields) that describes the difficulty of both spouses obtaining jobs at the same university or within a reasonable commuting distance from each other.

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91 views

Post-doc for two (two-body problem): How to search, apply, and improve our chances?

My significant other and I are doing our PhDs in physics, and we both want to continue in academia and to stay together. He did his masters in a first-world country and I did mine in a third-world ...
6
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2answers
246 views

Whether to indicate “job sharing” option in application

I am applying for a job that in the call mentions that the university supports "job sharing and advancement of dual-career couples". My partner and I are applying both to that position (we ...
4
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2answers
680 views

Two body problem in academia in the US

My question in about the general situation in the US universities related to the two body problem. My impression from what I have heard is that most of American universities are located in small ...
7
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2answers
417 views

How feasible is a remote postdoc in Mathematics? [duplicate]

I will be graduating this year with a PhD in mathematics. My research background is in analysis in a top 20 program in the US. However, my family situation is such that I can't uproot my family any ...
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2answers
305 views

How to mention that we are applying as a couple? [duplicate]

My wife and I are applying to US universities for master's and PhD programmes. We both have a electrical engg. degree and are applying to the same department. However we would like to get into the ...
2
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3answers
479 views

Applying same graduation school with my girlfriend, is it ethical?

Me and my girlfriend are currently studying in the same university and same department. We both applied couple of master's degree programs abroad. One of the programs is in both our interest and she ...
16
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3answers
1k views

Husband and wife publishing together - Problem for tenure-track jobs?

My husband and I work in the same research area (of theoretical computer science). We were in the same PhD program and even had the same advisor. We are a great collaboration team, and really enjoy ...
6
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3answers
325 views

In a new job; is it OK to recommend a partner for a job search?

I just started a new job teaching at a university last September; because of that, I’m also in a long-distance relationship. (We’re not married or even engaged at this point.) My partner is also in my ...
2
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1answer
156 views

Proper resignation date based on relocation date for spouse

I'm an assistant professor at a large public University, and I'm planning to make the move into industry for a variety of reasons. My spouse is also an academic and has accepted a position in a ...
3
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2answers
195 views

Re-posted faculty position. Worth waiting? (and two-body problem…) [closed]

I applied for a faculty position at a state research (not so intensive) school in June. Since the position requires both a clinical degree and a research degree, their application pool is not likely ...
4
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2answers
556 views

Spousal hire for girlfriend in US university

I got a tenure-track academic offer in the US. I am wondering how common/likely is to get the University to do a non-academic spousal hire for my girlfriend. All the documents provided by my ...
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3answers
747 views

Should I mention in my statement of purpose that I am applying because of my girlfriend [duplicate]

I am applying to a university for a PhD position because my girlfriend is a PhD student there. Our affair is quite serious and it is almost surely going to convert into a marriage. We might even get ...
68
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3answers
4k 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 ...
38
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5answers
4k views

Fiancée has a position lined up, but none of the universities in the area are hiring. What else can I do to get an academic position in the area?

I find myself in an unfortunate two-body problem situation. My fiancée got two offers earlier this year, one a post doc and the other a tenure track position. She deferred the tenure track for a year ...
25
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4answers
4k views

How should I approach job materials for a lateral move entirely for two-body reasons?

I am a tenure track assistant professor at a liberal arts college. I Iike my job quite a bit, but it is located in an impoverished, rural area. My partner works in the nearest large city, 2.5 hours ...
10
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1answer
435 views

Why and how to go to the US for a PhD-exchange semester?

Context: My wife and I are both PhD candidates in good-but-not-major eastern European universities, aiming to defend our theses in fall 2017 (i.e., in 15 months). She works in accounting, whereas my ...
24
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3answers
5k views

Mention two-body-problem in PhD applications? If so, where?

My significant other and I finish our master degrees at the same time and thus we are applying for PhD programmes at the same time. One major factor of accepting a potential offer would be if we could ...
2
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1answer
187 views

What would be different between two years of graduate admissions?

A bit of background to contextualize: So I'm in a bit of a two-body problem with both me and my wife interested in applying for programs in the near future. Mine would be five-year-plus program and ...
26
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2answers
5k views

How to politely inform potential PhD supervisor that I must wait before responding to an offer? (Two-body problem)

I am a physics student in the UK. A university (university A) has made me a PhD offer. The email from admissions was very clear that there is a 30-day time limit on this offer. As it happens I am ...
2
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0answers
283 views

How do you think about volunteering helpers and two-body problem for PhD

I am an international student and I just got the offer of a very good D.Phil. program in an elite university in the UK. My only concern is the "two-body problem", i.e., I have to get involved into a ...
15
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4answers
3k views

Should an applicant to an university mention that her spouse is currently a student in the same University, as part of her SOP?

While writing one's Statement of Purpose for applying to a grad program, should one mention that her spouse is also a grad student in the same university? What are the pro's and con's of that approach ...
12
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2answers
3k views

Wife: advantage or drawback when asking for visiting student position?

My wife and I are both PhD candidate in major-but-not-elite French universities. We study in completely different fields. She got a visiting student position in the US for 1 semester as of January ...
7
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2answers
775 views

Applying early as a postdoc + two-body problem

A recent question asked about applying for tenure-track jobs before the end of a postdoc. I'm in a similar position, also in math, and would like to ask the same question with an additional twist. I'...
4
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0answers
3k views

As an ambitious female PhD student, should I avoid dating people? [closed]

I am a female PhD student, studying computer science at a top school in the heart of Silicon Valley. I have a wonderful boyfriend who probably never wants to leave the Bay Area because he is (a) a ...
20
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3answers
4k views

How can I gracefully exit my current post-doc position for a new one?

I'm a post-doctoral research fellow and I've just been offered another post-doc position at another university. I still have a year and a half left on my original contract, but it's not going as well ...
7
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1answer
643 views

How to approach the dean and/or provost about a years-old two-body problem?

Both my wife and I are scientists in the same field. Approximately 4 years ago she accepted a tenure-track position, and in what seemed like a good opportunity at the time, we both decided it was a ...
16
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2answers
2k views

Trailing spouse postdoc

My husband has accepted a postdoc position in a city in Australia with two great institutions where I think I'll have a good shot at securing a postdoc for myself. I have some great connections to ...
10
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2answers
2k views

How common is spousal hire (academic or non-academic) in the Australia/New Zealand system?

I am an academic with hoping for an offer at an Oceania university. I want to know how common in this system is it to ask the university to give my spouse a job? It is common and often successful in ...
32
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4answers
5k views

Is it OK to mention a two-body problem during a tenure-track interview, if getting the job would actually resolve the problem?

I'm having an upcoming phone interview for a tenure-track position and I expect that I will be asked the usual "Why would you want to work here?" question. Apart from reasons relating to the research ...
42
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3answers
3k views

Applying for postdocs: mention two-body problem in cover letter?

My spouse and I are both finishing Ph.D's in math and applying for math postdocs in the US. We work in different areas of math, but there are many departments in which both are prominently represented....
12
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1answer
701 views

How to discuss job search with your advisor when your career plans differ from what your advisor wants you to do?

I'm on the job market this fall (will earn my Ph.D. this spring), and have culled a list of open positions I would like to apply for. I'd like to talk to my advisor about this soon in regards to ...
39
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3answers
4k views

When during the application process should a candidate mention that their spouse is also looking for a job

When during the application process should a candidate say that their spouse is also looking for a job? The issue of academic spouses who want to find employment close enough to live together is ...