Starting Our Careers [Paperback]

Curtis D. Bennett (Author, Editor), Annalisa Crannell (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1999

``If you are the reader we envision for this book, you have just passed through the most crucial stage of your career--writing and defending your doctoral thesis in mathematics--only to discover what lies ahead is, yet again, the most crucial stage of your career: making the choice about what job to take ... It is the time when you make the adjustment from studying in a research institution to earning your keep in industry or academia ... It is the time when you will or will not publish your thesis ... when you will decide to leave research behind or to start new mathematics independently ... or when you will struggle to balance time for students and committees with time in the library ... This book was written largely by people like you ... '' --from the Introduction This ``how-to'' book addresses all aspects of a young mathematician's early career development: How do I get good letters of recommendation? How do I apply for a grant? How do I do research in a small department that has no one in my field? How do I do anything meaningful if all I can get is a series of one-year jobs? These articles paint a broad portrait of current professional development issues of interest from the Young Mathematician's Network--from finding jobs to organizing special sessions. There are chapters on applying for positions, working in industry and in academia, starting and publishing research, writing grant proposals, applying for tenure, and becoming involved in the academic community. The book offers timely and sound advice offered by recent doctorates through experienced mathematicians. The material originally appeared in the electronic pages of Concerns of Young Mathematicians. The book is devoted exclusively to the early stages of a mathematical career.

Product Details

• Paperback: 116 pages
• Publisher: American Mathematical Society (May 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0821815431
• ISBN-13: 978-0821815434
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,022,944 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Advice a "young" mathematician cannot be without, August 13, 2002

By 

Charles Ashbacher (Marion, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Starting Our Careers (Paperback)

Every graduate program in mathematics should hand every beginning student a copy of this book the moment they enter the program. One month later, they should be given an exam over the material to verify that they read the book. Then, if the student is sensible, they will reread it twelve months before graduation and again right after they accept a tenure-track position. The knowledge that you can obtain from this book is that valuable, and can literally help make your career.
I have been on almost every side of the mathematical fence, having been a full-time college instructor in mathematics for several years, a research programmer at a university and a research scientist at a startup company. I currently own a consulting company and teach mathematics and computers as an adjunct and edit [a journal]. Throughout all of this, I have also maintained a steady stream of professional output of papers and problems. From this perspective, I can say that the information about life in industrial mathematics is absolutely right on. Not for everyone who has spent decades in school, it does present enormous opportunities for challenging work.
If you think that you are following the proper strategy to be granted tenure, then you must read the story "The Tenure Chase Papers" by Dana Mackenzie. Unfortunately, this horror story is not as unusual as it should be. The message is clear, start constructing your tenure application your first day on the job and never assume that college and university officials are above being inept and disingenuous. The advice about building your credentials and cultivating allies is something that you cannot afford to ignore.
The balance of the book deals with how to pursue research while teaching a full load and how to obtain grants. Everyone underestimates the amount of time you really put in teaching a full load and unless you absolutely have no life outside of your work, finding time to conduct research is extremely difficult. The best answer is to simply schedule research time with yourself and consider any failure to keep the commitment on a par with canceling a class.
The bulk of this book was written by young mathematicians with recent experience in entering the job market. Their stories are real and packed with knowledge that no one beginning a mathematical career can afford to ignore. I cannot recommend this book enough to that group.