A PhD should be about improving society, not chasing academic kudos
1–10 of 220 posts
Re: A PhD should be about improving society, not chasing academic kudos
#2How much of this argument should apply to more theoretical areas of research like pure mathematics?
Re: A PhD should be about improving society, not chasing academic kudos
#3How much of this argument should apply to more theoretical areas of research like pure mathematics?
I used to be in a math PhD program. Probably would still be if not for some life circumstance.
I think it is worth taking a hard look at the value all of this mathematical research actually produces.
I understand how number theory has been useful to cryptography. I understand how branches of pure math can have a surprising influence.
But when these examples are given by pure mathematicians, it often strikes me as anecdotal and motivated reasoning. Where are the hard numbers? Where is the cool-headed evaluation?
They very much want the NSF to continue giving them grants so they can keep funding their mathematical interests. Because it personally and immediately benefits them.
It may be true that 80% of the mathematical research that is valuable to society is done by 20% of mathematicians. In this case, not much can be lost by reducing research funding.
This is how I look at it: Funding mathematical research means your society is wealthy. When the vast majority aren't worried about putting food on the table, it is a privilege when you can get paid by them to pursue your mathematical hobby. A hobby that has some relatively low chance of impacting society.
Re: A PhD should be about improving society, not chasing academic kudos
#4A PhD should primarily be about learning how to do research in your chosen field, not the research itself.
Re: A PhD should be about improving society, not chasing academic kudos
#5How much of this argument should apply to more theoretical areas of research like pure mathematics?
[deleted]
Re: A PhD should be about improving society, not chasing academic kudos
#6How much of this argument should apply to more theoretical areas of research like pure mathematics?
I used to be in a math PhD program. Probably would still be if not for some life circumstance. I think it is worth taking a hard look at the value all of this mathematical research actually produces. I understand how number theory has been useful to cryptography. I understand how branches of pure math can have a surprising influence. But when these examples are given by pure mathematicians, it often strikes me as ane…
I can't argue for pure math. But atleast in applied areas such as pde a lot of the problems are motivated by real physical problems. To solve many of these would require theoretical breakthroughs I guess (cant be sure I dont have a phd). So perhaps funding pure math may not be such a bad idea.
Re: A PhD should be about improving society, not chasing academic kudos
#7How much of this argument should apply to more theoretical areas of research like pure mathematics?
I used to be in a math PhD program. Probably would still be if not for some life circumstance. I think it is worth taking a hard look at the value all of this mathematical research actually produces. I understand how number theory has been useful to cryptography. I understand how branches of pure math can have a surprising influence. But when these examples are given by pure mathematicians, it often strikes me as ane…
Your claim we could reduce mathematics research misses one big step -- that we can tell, in advance, which mathematicians (and researchers in general) are doing the "useful" research. In my experience that is very hard to predict. Also often researchers are "standing on the shoulders of giants", so the people who look most real world useful are extending earlier, "not useful" research.
Re: A PhD should be about improving society, not chasing academic kudos
#8I totally agree with the problems of academia chasing citations, but the solution sounds odd to me. There are plenty of applied master programs aimed exactly at what is proposed: engaging with the professional community and fixing simple stuff.
But I still think some people should be isolated from the daily torment of humanity to push us forward. Maybe we just need less PHD.
Re: A PhD should be about improving society, not chasing academic kudos
#9Bizarre. This is coming from someone presumably embedded in the grant-writing machine that is modern academia. How do grant proposals justify their cost, exactly? Academia would be healthier if some back slaps at the next conference was all it took I think
Re: A PhD should be about improving society, not chasing academic kudos
#10Great! Except that if you stop chasing those kudos, you will promptly find yourself unemployed and thus unable to do any research at all.