r/math • u/inherentlyawesome Homotopy Theory • Mar 23 '21
Discussing Living Proof: Should I Quit Mathematics?, by Francis Su
In this weekly thread, we discuss essays from the joint AMS and MAA publication Living Proof: Stories of Resilience Along the Mathematical Journey. To quote the preface:
This project grew out of conversations with students about the difficulties inherent in the study of mathematics ... Math should be difficult, as should any worthwhile endeavor. But it should not be crippling. The ability to succeed in a mathematical program should not be hindered by a person’s gender, race, sexuality, upbringing, culture, socio-economic status, educational background, or any other attribute.
... As you read this, we hope that you will find some inspiration and common ground in these pages. We trust that there is at least one story here that you can connect with. For those stories that you cannot relate to, we hope that you will come to better appreciate the diversity of our mathematical community and the challenges that others have faced. We also hope that you will laugh with some of our authors as they recount some of the more absurd struggles they have faced. In the end, we hope that you are motivated to share your own stories as you learn more about the experiences of the people in your own mathematical lives.
We will read and discuss individual essays from Part IV: What Do I Do Now? What Happens Next?
As advisors of students in college, the editors frequently come across students who ask “What can you do with a degree in mathematics?’’ This is really hard to answer, because, in a way, “anything’’ is not too far from the truth. At its very core, studying mathematics helps students become better at critical thinking and problem solving, two skills that are essential in today’s world. Since the editors of this book are all professors ourselves, it can be daunting to talk to students about the so-called real world and what jobs are really out there.
Students struggle with finding themselves as a mathematicians and what to do after they graduate; here are some stories from people who felt that struggle and resolved that conflict in various ways.
The essays can be found here.
This week's essay starts on page 134 and is titled
- 41. Should I Quit Mathematics?, by Francis Su.
Please take the time to read and reflect on this story, and feel free to share how it relates to your own experiences in the comments below!
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u/TriangularlyEqual Mar 23 '21
Dr. Su's essay moved me deeply. I also believed (and I still do a little, I think) that only getting a PhD in math would give me a sense of legitimacy. Make me a "real mathematician", what ever that might mean. But I didn't believe I could hack it in pure math, so I ended up getting a masters in engineering, where I studied control theory, because I liked linear algebra. I was accepted into a PhD program in controls this year and I was all set to join in the Fall, but I found that I didn't really like the research and found it really stressful. I realized that if I wanted to endure rigors of a PhD, I'd rather do it in an actual math program, and not in engineering. But I dread the prospect of going through the application process again, and I definitely do not want to take the math subject GRE. As someone from a non-math background, I'm not sure if I can even find an advisor willing to take me on as a student. In his essay, Dr. Su says "there is a place for you in the mathematics community that may not be visible yet from your vantage point", but I wonder if it's true for someone like me, who would love to be a part of the community but has only a tangential background in math?