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When one does not have well-defined research interests for PhD Programs
I'll be applying to tier II PhD programs in Mathematics. I've made a switch from another field to Mathematics, and, given that my primary major was not mathematics during my undergraduate, I don't have well-defined research interests. I have some idea that I'd like to work in analysis, but I'm not sure of which field -- differential equations, functional analysis, geometric measure theory etc. I still, at the very least, need to study all these subjects in more depth to be able to make an informed decision. Moreover, I come from a background where I studied multiple subjects in college -- Economics, Physics and Mathematics -- and I consistently realized I'm more interested in the mathematics of all the subjects I have studied thus far. So, right now, I am more interested exploring more mathematics out there, so I can make informed  choices about my research interests at a later time.
So, my question is: how do students like myself sell their research interests in the personal statement addressed to graduate admissions commmittee?

Your remark that you consistently realized that you're more interested in the mathematics of all the subjects you studied is a serious indicator of your interest. That, together with your observation that there's no reason to make an ill-informed choice also shows good insight into the reality of the situation.

@paulgarrett Having said that, I feel I don't have anything substantial to write about my research interests? I don't wish to boast about anything on my personal statement, but, as a friend of mine who's a math graduate student at a top 5 school suggested, I shouldn't undersell myself. So, I'm having a very hard time reconciling these thoughts to write something substantial in the 1-2 paragraphs devote to this part in the personal statement.

You could go into some details about the specific math that occurred in your other courses... and what future math specialization might be motivated by that. E.g., "motivated by subtleties of solutions of partial differential equations appearing in quantum mechanics, I am interested in ..." Yes, don't under-sell, but it's all too easy to look naive in the way one does a selling job. Get advice from faculty about delicate word choices.

In mathematics, many students begin their Ph.D. studies without any real idea of what sort of math they want to do --- or with a real idea that changes afterward.  When I started grad school, I thought I wanted to become a topologist, but after a couple of years I switched to logic (though I continued to attend topology courses).

In mathematics it is common to have little specific idea of what you want to do in a PhD at the point of applying. Unlike in many arts subject, for example, your supervisor will largely choose the research question for you (hopefully with your input). At a graduate open day, we were told that SOPs range from 'I want to do a PhD in pure maths' to 'I want to prove the Riemann Hypothesis'. Indeed, my own loosely said 'this is what I've done, so something a bit like that might be good'. Exactly how much detail you need to give will depend on the structure of the PhD programme, and local rules/funding arrangements.
I think the thing you will need to set out clearly is why you've chosen to switch to mathematics, and how you will achieve the same standard as those who have done a maths undergrad/major.

And, repeating a paraphrase of my comment above, it is a good "sell" to explain how you've been irresistibly draw to math even while studying other things... This can be a stronger argument than a relatively passive choice of undergrad math major, and then possibly passive-sounding continuation to grad school (with or without "research").

Hi Jessica,
Thank you for kind response. Would you mind having a brief follow up conversation either via email or via messages on this website?

@paulgarrett
Thank you for your responses as well. Would you mind having a brief follow up conversation either via email or via messages on this website?

@user82261, you can easily find my email and send me a note about this...

@paulgarrett I have sent you an email.

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Moving to a different PhD program in the United States
I have been admitted to a Math PhD program in US. The school is ranked in the top 60-80 range. I started school this August. I'm, however, considering the possibility of re-applying to a different program, based on the following reasons:

My undergraduate background is in physics, economics and mathematics. I'm a late comer to the subject (mathematics); therefore, my application wasn't as competitive as it could have been if I had studied the subject for the full four years. This was reflected in the number of acceptances/rejections that I received.
I would like to move to a department that focuses on inter-disciplinary research. Unfortunately, such options aren't available at my current department.
I may have an issue picking an adviser in the future. I will skip the details over here.
My job prospects would be quite bleak in academia (Math) if I choose to stay over here.

Based on a combination of academic and non-academic reasons, I believe I would like to take another shot at applying to different schools. I’d appreciate if you could put this issue in perspective by commenting on:

Whether this is a possibility in the system in place in the US? Are such issues frowned upon?
How does generally view such issues? What’s the overall perception of academics in math departments?
What would be the best way to tackle this issue? For example, what would be the best time to discuss this issue with faculty? I don’t want to antagonize anyone, but, at the same time, I’d like to discuss my aforementioned case with someone in the future so I can consider the possibility of re-applying.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

It feels like I've seen this exact question (with the exact wording) a few days ago.

Most programs will not fault you for wanting to change disciplines. If you can obtain the necessary application materials (letters of recommendation, specifically), changing programs will likely not be a massive issue. Be clear in your statements of purpose that you are interested in changing disciplines. If you are open as to why you are changing programs, I do not see application committees being overly turned off by such a decision. (I personally would not be at least. If a candidate is a good fit, I will pursue him or her). Explain the situation much like you have in your question. Emphasize that you feel that you could be a more successful researcher in a research program that is more inter-disciplinary. (Your background is likely to be more well-versed for an inter-disciplinary program anyway it sounds like).
Do not obscure the fact that you are looking to start a new program. You have nothing to hide as far as I can tell. (This will obviously be contingent on potential complications you may or may not have fully disclosed).
One comment I will briefly add deals with the "grass is always greener" aspect of graduate studies (and life). Make sure that changing programs will actually be a better situation than remaining with your current program. I would have a contingency plan in place for the event that you apply to new programs and are accepted into none of them. (Or maybe your plan can be to apply to one or two schools you know you will get into). There is the old adage "A bird in the hand is better than two in the bush." Make sure that if you put down the bird you have in your hand that the one in the bush is actually going to be a bigger, better bird.
Because you provide no details about why choosing an advisor will be a problem, I am not going to be able to give any advice in that regard.
As for career prospects, an inter-disciplinary PhD in math can be a blessing and a curse. My personal anecdotal experience has been that academia prefers more of a focused "single discipline" PhD (although this is changing to a certain extent) and industry prefers inter-disciplinary studies.
As for what you need to tell your department right now, I would figure out first how you are going to get your letters of recommendation. If you feel that you have three people who will write you letters (and then maybe one backup), I would then speak to your graduate coordinator about terminating any support you have. Make sure that you close out any financial considerations that must take place. This will go a long way in ensuring you do not burn bridges when you leave.
Some students invariably will leave a graduate program from time to time. Any admissions committee knows this. Declaring your intentions sooner rather than later will make your current program significantly more willing (and able) to help you find the best fit for your future studies. I would not be too concerned overall with trying to apply to other programs as long as you are open with your current program.

I have in mind two people with whom I'd like to work over the next year. Hopefully, they will be able to write letters for me. I can always ask my undergraduate adviser to write the third letter for me. Let's see if I am able to find additional letter writers.
Why would you say I should talk to the graduate coordinator about terminating any support I may have. I'm interested in applying at the end of Fall 2019 (next year), and I hope I'm able to graduate with a master's degree from my current institute in Spring 2020. I'd move from this place only if I get accepted somewhere else.

In this case, I'm not sure if I should ask for my support to be terminated? Or is that something that you didn't mean? I was thinking of declaring my intention to apply afresh, and continue with the department as a graduate student by the time I complete my master's degree, and prepare applications for the next round.

@user82261 I see what you mean. Your plan to get a MS then move schools is an even better one. That slipped my mind. I'd look into getting the master's degree then starting a PhD at a new program. Maybe talk to the grad coordinator and see what type of a plan he/she can draw up for you. You do not need to stop being funded in this case. I thought you were looking to immediately move. The idea of getting the master's degree is a good one I feel. That should work out fine.

Perfect. I suppose I'll talk to the relevant people (professors, and graduate program director) when the time is right. Maybe next summer.

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Career Options after PhD in Math (International)
I'm an international student, originally from a country in South Asia. I have been admitted to a PhD program in Mathematics. The school is ranked in the top 70-80 range.
While I'm interested in getting an academic job in the future, I'm aware that it would be very difficult for me to get an academic job after having graduated with a PhD from the aforementioned school. Therefore, I'm seriously considering keeping my options open to enter the industry as well. I'm especially considering this option since I, ideally, don't wish to move back to my home country directly upon graduation.
My questions are as follows:

As of yet, I'm looking to complete my PhD in analysis/probability/PDE's. Would this allow me to keep a options in the industry open? If so, what options are generally available if one has a PhD in these field(s)? Is the job market robust? Or should one consider completing a PhD in a different field?
Is it especially hard for international students to find a job in the industry (or academia) after graduation? I'm open to looking for a job in multiple countries. I'm also considering the possibility of moving/transferring to a statistics program to keep more job options open.

In a nutshell, what can students like myself do now to achieve the best possible outcome which can be achieved by attending a middle tier graduate program in mathematics.
Edit: With regards to post-doc positions, I am assuming that it will be very hard for me to find a good position after having graduated from a top 70-80 school. Given this additional information, could someone please guide international students like myself who may want to keep as many options open in the industry?

Why don't you start looking for a job in industry immediately (and keep looking while you are in school until you find one) instead of waiting until you graduate?  Do you really like being a PhD student (or like the chance of becoming an academic) so much that you are willing to be $50K/year (or more) poorer for it?

@AlexanderWoo I'm not currently enrolled in a PhD program. I'm trying to answer this question prior to entering the program. I assume other students will be able to find the answers given to this question useful as well. I, of course, have a range of personal and non-personal reasons for considering both academia and industry.

You seem to be completely ignoring the possibility of getting a postdoc in a better school.
In addition to being a great opportunity to expand your social network, it would give you the chance to do more (hopefully good) work before applying for faculty positions.

Hi. You're right. Getting a job in academia would necessarily mean that this is a first step that I would have to take. However, I deliberately phrased the question such that it focuses more on the prospect of getting a job in the industry. As of yet, I'm more interested in exploring the options available on this front.

It's good you're asking these questions before commencing the PhD.
There's nothing like doing the research yourself to answer these questions. Use your favourite job portal as a starting point. If you don't know which portal to use, try Google, and possibly refine by the country you want to work in (e.g. Google for "jobs in the USA"). Then search for your specialization.
For example I'll use Indeed.com searching for jobs in the US. I refine by jobs requiring a PhD in mathematics (it is very unlikely the specific subfield of mathematics your PhD is in matters). As of time of writing the top five results are:

Lead data scientist (Cartus Corporation)
Data scientist (R Shiny)
Supply chain data scientist/analyst (Apple Inc)
Research Scientist – Novel Hybrid Simulation Methods (Data + Principled approach) (Siemens)
Quantitative Healthcare Research Scientist (Biostatistician or Epidemiologist) (Google)

You can research these jobs, especially the ones you want to do, to find what they need, and tailor your PhD studies to pick up those skills. For example if you're interested in working for Apple, they're looking for knowledge of SQL, VBA, SAS, and Python. Learn these things and you should stand a better chance after your graduate. As of time of writing, there are a total of 4385 openings listed. Whether or not this qualifies as 'robust' is up to your interpretation.
As for whether it's harder for international students to find jobs, the answer is "yes". Most countries will have some laws to protect their own. A typical example might be, before a company can hire a foreigner, they have to advertise the position to citizens and permanent residents for some time, and prove they can't find anyone suitable. However, if the job requires very high skills (or very low skills, oddly enough), the odds are better that the country doesn't have suitable people among its own population. The good news is that jobs that require a PhD in math are very likely to be receptive towards international applicants. You will know if your nationality is working against you if the advertisement says "only citizens and PRs need apply", or if you approach a hiring agency which responds with "for this job, it's very unlikely international applicants are hired".

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PhD funding for only 4 years
I'm currently pursuing a master's degree (math) in the US, and I have been accepted to a different PhD program (applied math). I've been offered funding for only four years, though, because I am already pursuing my master's degree. Is this something of a big concern? I'll essentially have to start over at the new program by trying to pass their preliminary examinations, and all other universities seem to provide funding for 5 years, even if students come in with a master's degree because in the US, the PhD process seems to take some time to complete.
Any ideas and suggestions as to whether this is something of a big concern, and whether students can get funded for an additional year even if they're coming in with a master's degree?
Edit:
Here are some details about the two programs. The program that has offered me 4 year of funding has 2 qualifying exams. I will have to take classes for one of those qualifying exam. In principle, I think I can take the second qualifying exam soon, but I would still need to enroll in one one semester class to cover the last 20-30% of the material. This second exam, however, would require me to take at least some substantial time hitting 3-4 books, and practicing a lot to ensure I can actually solve the exam itself on the day of the exam.The program that has offered 5 years of funding has 3 exams, but I can fulfill the requirement for two of them by taking a sequence of graduate level course. One exam has to be written. The exams at both schools are of comparable difficulty, I suppose, with minor differences, of course.
I have been offered TA support by both schools, but I suppose this takes up a lot of time when it actually comes to getting down to doing research. I also don't know how the research experience, of course, is going to pan out.

Do you have other offers that come with 5 years of funding?  Or are you asking if it's possible to finish in 4 years?  What has the university said?

I have an offer for 5 years with funding from one applied math program and one statistics program. The applied math program says funding can be extended to 6 years if absolutely required. Haven't followed up with the university, but the letter says I've been funded for 4 years, and it also list the timeline that I have to abide by to complete the requirements.

FYI, I believe this was the policy where I got my Ph.D. At least, I was told I'd have 4 years, and this also applied to the two others who worked under the same professor I did and began with a Masters from elsewhere. However, this only pertained to guaranteed support. I think we were told that we could appeal this later if circumstances seemed to merit a 5th year. However, we all managed to finish in 4 years, and I don't recall whether any of the other graduate students in the department beginning with a Masters needed a 5th year, so I don't know how stringent the department was about this.

In some schools in some countries, there is no guarantee of funding even as far as the second year. This was the case for me in grad school. I had to re-win my scholarship every year.

@puppetsock: In most U.S. universities, the guaranteed support was contingent upon making satisfactory progress by completing a certain minimum number of course credits in a specified time with certain minimum grade requirements and passing the Ph.D. qualifying exams within the appropriate amount of time and/or number of attempts. Failing this, you were usually dismissed from the program (maybe have one or two semesters "grace period", depending on when you "flunked out" relative to the academic year), although those without a Masters usually could stay to complete a Masters.

@DaveLRenfro Thus resulting in the frequent idea in the USA that a MSc was a failed PhD.

in the USA that a MSc was a failed PhD --- Unless you get a Masters at a non-Ph.D. university, where mine was done (although it's now a Ph.D. university), but nonetheless, I did the "flunking out" thing twice, so I know a bit about it!

most schools extend the funding beyond 4 years as long as you are making reasonable progress. So unless you plan doing nothing for 4 years shouldn't matter.

Look at all the requirements for the degree and look at where you are/will be at the end of the masters. Four years may be plenty or not.
In particular, look at what the comprehensive exams look like, both by topic and by rigor. You may be nearly ready to take them. If so, then four years feels to me like plenty of time. But if not, and you have to enter a period of study just to prepare for comps then it may be too short.
Nor do you say what sort of funding. If it is a grant with few or no requirements then it is quite different from a TA or RA where you have to spend part of your time on the job. Four years for research and writing seems sufficient. But if there are a lot of other requirements then it may not be.
Finally, if it is not a TA, then you may be able to finish your degree by obtaining a TA for a year or so. This is valuable experience for an academic in any case.

I have edited the question to include more details. Please let me know if you'd like to add anything else.

@user82261 the answer seems fine.

It takes at least three years to do a mathematics PhD if you come in with a Master's and have no exams or instructional duties, as in the European system. Four years with exams and teaching sounds theoretically possible but unrealistic.

@ElizabethHenning, I don't understand your comment. In my US program there were two requirements. Pass the exams and write an acceptable thesis. There was no time limit. Everyone (almost) was a TA. I had exams and was a TA and finished in three. Without the exams it might have been a bit less than two. Mathematics at an R1.

@Buffy My experience is that this is the minimal timeline for someone entering with a Master's: first year, written exams; second year, oral exams; third year, solve the dissertation problem; fourth year, write it up and look for a job. Outside of people from top-5 schools I don't know anyone who finished in three years and very few who finished in four. This is for pure math. Maybe applied math is different.

@ElizabethHenning, the math in my dissertation was so pure it would make your teeth ache. The time depends on how well the MS prepared the candidate for comps. You might be able to clear all exams in a few months. Even as a TA. I doubt I'm just a counterexample.  But the OP here need to self-analyze their position, as I suggest.

I don't think getting 4 years of funding is necessarily a red flag all on its own - the amount of funding you get offered will vary widely both between schools and between fields.  I think there are three things for you to consider:

Non-financial issues.  How good is the school, where is it located, and most importantly, how good of a fit is it for you?
If all else were equal, offering more years of funding is (obviously) better than offering less, since it gives you more time to work.  Even if you don't think you need it now, it's still a benefit in the form of lower pressure, and padding in case something disrupts your work (illness, research setbacks, etc).
Offering you better funding is potentially an indicator of how much the program wants you there.  That is, the program offering you 5 years of funding (with a possibility of 6 even), is signaling their interest in you quite strongly, while the program offering only 4 less so.

The problem is how to compare number 1 to numbers 2 and 3.  What are the merits of the program offering you 4 years of funding?  If there's a strong non-financial argument in their favor, maybe ask the department to put you in touch with some of their current PhDs and recent graduates.  Ask what the program is like, ask if they offer 4 years of funding to everyone, and ask how practical they find that deadline to be.  At least in my field, this was a fairly common occurrence for prospective students.

I have edited the question to include more details. Please let me know if you'd like to add anything else.

@user82261 the answer seems fine.


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Quantum Information in Math Departments
I'm currently a graduate student in mathematics getting my master's degree. I am interested in a bit probability and partial differential equations, and, secondarily, a bit of mathematical physics; most likely quantum information theory. I'll most likely be moving to a different graduate program after completing my master's degree from my current institution , and I'm currently trying to figure out whether there are mathematics departments that have research groups in quantum information theory.
I believe I will want to stay in a mathematics department, as I'm not awfully interested in the experimental aspects of quantum information. I'm more interested in the mathematical aspects of the subject, and I'll definitely be applying with the approach where I'll try and cash on my undergraduate background in physics/quantum mechanics, and use my knowledge of math in topology, functional analysis, real analysis etc. to put it to good, meaningful use to solve inter-disciplinary problems.
However, I'm not sure whether there are a large number of math departments in the US that have research groups in quantum information? I know there's one at UC Davis,
http://qmap.ucdavis.edu/,
and I think the math department at UT Austin collaborates heavily with the physics/cs departments, so I won't be surprised if they have people working in quantum information over there.
I'm not, however, sure whether these departments/research groups are anomalies. It'd be great if someone could nudge me in the right answer to this direction? List of math departments doing quantum information? Or should I look at CS/Physics departments*?
*I don't think I will apply to physics schools because I am not really interested in the experimental aspects, and I don't think I can sum up the courage to take both the math/physics GRE this year, for which I will have to study from the scratch.

Sounds like Applied Math.  In terms of a specific PI doing quantum information*, I don't know which school.  But when you mention your course interests and wanting to collaborate with people on real problems that is applied math all the way.
Here is a list of top programs:  https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-science-schools/applied-mathematics-rankings  Not passing judgment, but list gets you started.  I would look at some of their webpages and reach out via email to one or tow and just start educating yourself on what they're like versus what you want.  Maybe do a visit if one near.
You could also consider statistics grad programs.  That is a wonderfully applied field and one where there is some connection to industry, the sciences, etc.
*Music on CDs as opposed to vinyl?


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Entering the correct Publisher and Editor in a BibTex citation
I would like to enter a PDF book I have purchased into a bibtex library using JabRef. JabRef requires the publisher and editor information for "Book" type entries. In the inside cover of my book I see the following useful information:

Academic Press is an Imprint of Elsevier
Library of Congress Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Publisher: Glyn Jones
Acquisition Editor: Glyn Jones
Editorial Project Manager: Naomi Robertson
Production Project Manager: Kiruthika Govindaraju
Designer: Christian Bilbow

Some more information about the book can be found in this link
I am inclined to place Elsevier as the editor and Academic Press as the Publisher. I also know that that Academic Press is owned by Elsevier. I have looked up the individuals stated in the Editorial Project Manager and the Publisher sections and they seem to work for Elsevier at this time. However I also note that Tsinghua University Press is mentioned in the cover of the book so I am not sure what their role was and whether they need to be included in the citation.
What should I place in the Editor and Publisher fields in JabRef, respectively?

The label editors refers to human individuals, while the publisher is always a company.
First, the editors: In the context of a book, it only makes sense to talk about 'editors' if the book is an edited volume. Otherwise the people who wrote the book are 'authors'. - - In your case, there do not seem to be any 'editors' at all, but only 'authors' (X.Z., Z.C., and Y.L.). Are you sure that the editors-field is mandatory?
Secondly, the publisher: Formally, yes, the publisher is Elsevier, but if it uses an imprint (here: Academic Press), then you should name the imprint. Do not name the overarching company of the imprint. A publisher can use various imprints in order to circulate books under various trade names (each with different reputations and specificities); to a publisher, the name of the imprint is really one of the main purposes of using an imprint. Therefore, list the imprint (Academic Press), and not the overarching company (Elsevier).
(Why Tsinghua University Press is mentioned in the cover, I do not know; it might have something to do with Elsevier's co-publishing agreement with Tsinghua Univ. Press.)

In JabRef the editor label is mandatory but it doesn't complain if I leave it blank... strange


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How to cite an article found on a webpage
I would like to cite the following pdf found in a website online in a personal article I'm working on:

http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/doc/texlive-doc/latex/base/encguide.pdf

As you can see this looks like an article complete with authors and a publication date. However it is also an online resource, and there is no journal to which it is associated.
Taking into account the limitations and conventions of biblatex, how should I cite this document? Should I cite as a webpage or scholarly article? If the latter is preferred, what should my journal name be?

I would suggest you use the "TechReport" document type and as instutution latex-project.org. This is the original source of the document. https://www.latex-project.org/help/documentation/encguide.pdf

Taking into account the limitations and conventions of biblatex - I don't personally use biblatex, but TeX in general is very flexible and shouldn't limit your options on how you cite a document.  If you have a question about how to use biblatex, ask on TeX SE.


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Can I publish a paper in a good journal without having an academic position?
This community is introduced by a friend of mine about a week ago and I hope I can write my questions clearly (English is not my first language and I normally have poor communication skills...)
My story: I started my BSc in mathematics about 22 years ago (when I was age 9) and I decided (had to) quit after one painful semester that I still remember it. I studied on my own and a few years later I decided to solve the notorious impenetrable problem the Hodge conjecture. I have not achieved that goal yet but (I think) I have more than enough that people get a fields medal for that. And with my past experiences I believe that I am most probably not wrong in the technicalities (peer review need to be done though)... Nonetheless I can't continue working hard on the problem as I used to because of spending a lot more time on making money (from teaching to laboring jobs) so better to publish whatever I have to possibly get a research job than living a fading life and every-day-increasing severe-depression. But there are many obstacles I believe:
1- Can I publish an article without having an academic position and even without a university degree, at all?
2- I never care about fame and I absolutely don't care if solving some unsolved problem is attached to a particular name (=person) but handing over 18 years of my research to someone who have authority to easily publish it has a high risk of his/her plagiarism temptation thus ruining a possible would-be good life of mine. How can I trust someone?
3- Evaluation of my results is a necessity before I have any claim of that but if it turns out to be valuable enough can I get an academic position without having a physical degree and not going through all many years of official undergraduate and graduate programs in mathematics?
By the way, I hold an Iranian passport which means that I cannot travel Europe/US/Canada/... to present my research with just an invitation for a conference. (Visa-on-arrival is available for Iranian citizens in Mozambique or Samoa airports but I don't think that be helpful; no offense).
PS Please feel free to edit my post if my English is not clear. Thank you all in advance. :)

You may find this question and its answers helpful: https://academia.stackexchange.com/q/18491/49043

Variants of this question have been asked many times.

No, you do not need to have an academic position or be enrolled in a university to publish in journals.
You can prevent plagiarism (or at least make it easily detectable) by posting a preprint of your paper on arXiv. This establishes that you are the first person to come up with the idea.
It's doable, but rare.

Anyone can write a mathematics paper and anyone, degree or not, can submit it to a publisher. Some unscrupulous publishers will take your money and publish your work without thought, but that won't advance you in any way.
If you submit a paper to a reputable publisher and the editor thinks it has merit he or she will send it to a few reviewers for comment. The comments may be good or bad. Since you have been a bit isolated from the larger mathematical community is is even possible that what you have done isn't new, and you will be told that.
But if the reviewers find merit then you work can be published, possibly after some revision as suggested by the reviewers.
I suggest, however, that you also try to find a few people to help you. One, an independent mind, to look over the mathematics in your work to give you some external assurance that it is sound. The reviewers will certainly do that, but it might benefit you to have your own prior review. The other person you might want is someone more familiar with the language in which you want to publish, English or whatever it is.
For the other question about obtaining a position based on one paper, that is less likely. Ramanujan, of course, became a celebrity in the mathematical world with no advanced degrees and did some of the finest work in the previous century. But that is very rare. A Fields medal based on one piece of work would also be very rare.
For those who cannot travel to a conference venue, especially for political reasons, accommodations can be made to have a paper heard, even when the author cannot be present. The conference committee should be contacted in such cases, but the paper needs review before that can be considered.

Let me add a note about Ramanujan. He was a brilliant mathematician who was blessed with the gift of thinking differently. But he would likely have labored in obscurity throughout his too-short life if he hadn't started his association with Hardy. It was that association that helped the world discover him.

Thanks a lot. One more question; (generally asking) can I send a paper to another publisher if one publisher rejects to review or the like?

Yes you can. But use the reviews to improve the paper first. And it is a bad practice to send it to more than one at the same time. But if they tell you it is old work that has been done, then you need to study that and pick a way forward.

I would prefer to say that it is forbidden to send a paper to more than one journal at a time. Calling it "bad practice" suggests that it might be kind of OK, albeit frowned upon. Any reasonable journal will state that submissions must not currently be under consideration by any other journal.


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What type of paper is this and how should I input it into JabRef?
As a follow up to this question I am now trying to use JabRef along with @Jonas Steins python script to manage a small literature database on my local machine. I came across the following conference paper :
http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/852068/1/098_Argyroudis.et.al._rev.pdf
I tried adding it as "Proceedings" in JabRef but the only required fields which need to be added are:

Title
Year
Bibtexkey

I find it really strange that entries which are conference proceedings do not require anything about the name of the conference, or the authors responsible for this particular article.
Am I looking at the wrong category? If so which one should I be looking at? Here are the possibilities in JabRef:

Article
InBook
Book
Booklet
InCollection
Conference
InProceedings
Proceedings
Manual
MastersThesis
PhdThesis
TechReport
Unpublished
Misc

If this is the right category, could someone please explain why the name of the conference and the authors are not required for this literature type?
Thanks

This looks like a conference paper to me, so "InProceedings" is appropriate.
The one you thought of, "Proceedings" is for the entire conference.  i.e. the book that contains every single paper from the conference, not just a single paper. That's why there is no author field, and the title field is for the name of the conference.
BTW, definition of the categories is here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BibTeX

"InProceedings" does not require you to insert the name of the conference anywhere.  I only see a "Booktitle" field which does not make sense to me. This is definitely not part of a book?

Booktitle is where you write the name of the conference. Or rather, it's for the title of the conference proceedings, which usually includes the name of the conference. When in doubt, just use "Proceedings of XY".

@user32882 Nowadays a lot of conference papers are only published electronically, but many still get printed in a single book (aka the "Proceedings") - that's why the field is called a "booktitle". (Plus the authors of BibTeX probably wanted to be consistent and not use too many different names for similar things.)

Allright then.... I wish they could have used something more descriptive than "BookTitle" but I realize I also need to learn more about these types of conventions. Answer accepted.

"Proceedings" refers to the entire conference proceedings as a single publication - e.g. "Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Natural Hazards & Infrastructure".
What you are looking for is "InProceedings" - a single paper within the conference proceedings.

Besides these two, there is also "Conference". This is the same thing as "InProceedings", and exists purely for compatibility reasons.


text:
Is it good to try to present every interesting paper I study?
I am a Masters student in Mathematics. As part of my Masters project, I have to do independent study and try to "do" something: like tackling a problem of recent interest. So these days I am reading a lot.
However I also have a tendency of trying to present the things I know before my professors. I believe a lot in sharing of this knowledge. In my university there aren't too many lectures and people work on their own, so this social dissemination of ideas/information is not much in vogue. I wish somebody did that to me also as then I would be in a rather better position.
But is it stupid to try to expose the recent knowledge in my field? Now, when I say Mathematics, I really mean a particular subarea of Mathematics, where my interests lie. So please do not have the impression that I am spreading out too much.
I am just anxious that people will get tired of hearing my presentations if I hold such talks too regularly. But there are really so many things to learn, so many new things to do, how can one sit still without realising that life is short, and knowledge is progressing at an exponential rate? I often feel only I am the one really interested to know/do things, and others don't really share this spirit.
So, although I am reading a lot, should I try to present every small bit I have come across? Or only the major papers and recent breakthroughs? And what do you think about the frequency of such presentations?
Note, I have been told I am a very good expositor.

What format will this take? Are these public seminars, group meetings, or something else?

Do people have to attend these talks? Seems like if your talks are too frequent or not useful, people will just not attend, no harm done. If you give daily talks to a large, happy audience, then I'm not sure what the problem is (whether this is a good use of your time is a separate question). Am I missing something?

It sounds like you might want to organize a reading group on your area of interest. You would invite peers and perhaps a couple of faculty advisors. You could present a few (note - just a few) papers this way every semester. Note that you would also need to let others present.

We don’t have the culture of frequent graduate students talks. I am therefore talking of informal board presentations. But one comment really made me think. Is it worthwhile on my part also? That is, will time permit? Maybe by the time I am preparing something, I can read something else.

For me, -It really depends on who are you presenting to. Usually when I share something that seems interesting to my friends, usually they are happy but this won't suit to everyone. I would suggest to share a lot with people who is in same subarea of study with you or interested in your readings and do short presentations to others infrequently. The frequency of both of them will depend on your time and how interested people are.


text:
Sent a low optional math GRE score to a Statistics department
I took the Math subject GRE last year (in 2019) and I was not well while taking it, so I could not do well in the exam and got a 50 percentile. When I created my GRE account in ETS, I selected four Statistics departments, none of which even mentions the Math GRE as something they recommend. But I thought I would do well in the exam, and the Math GRE score would show my math aptitude, which is good, I guess, for a Statistics PhD program.
However, since my score is low, and ETS has already reported it to the departments, I am wondering whether the admission committee would at all look at this score when I apply to them in future. I have not yet taken the general GRE test, as I intend to apply for Autumn 2022. Due to the lockdown, it is hard to give the Math GRE now. Also, I do not wish to spend the money (I come from a financially weak background, and the price of the math GRE test is quite high in my home country) for a re-test if the score is not going to matter.
I am just concerned that the department might look at my score (because ETS already sent it) and it might create an adverse effect on my chances of admission? What is the best strategy in this case?

I think that each time you apply, you can choose to have ETS send your scores or not, no?  Departments are probably not going to go back and look at your applications from previous years if that's what you're worried about.  BTW, 50th percentile is not awful--it's median among people who are trying to go to grad school in math.

Each time I apply to the department, I think I can send them a reference number corresponding to my GRE score. I am curious that if I send them a good general GRE score, will they be able to fetch a subject GRE score that was sent to them 2 years back? Because GRE scores are valid for 5 years.

I'm not sure how that works, but I would think that you could choose to only release your newest scores.  I would suggest looking on the ETS website or contacting someone there.  I can tell you that I vaguely remember seeing new and old GRE test information on grad school applications, but I can't remember if this had old scores or just the dates of previous attempts.  In any case, I don't think a "bad" score on a previous attempt will make much difference to committees.  (Also, see other questions on this site for how important GRE scores are.)


text:
How to get the most out of a seminar?
I am a beginning graduate student in mathematics. My university holds regular seminars in different areas of mathematics, and I try to attend all of them. I like getting exposed to different areas of research I did not know of, and get updated about recent developments. Listening to different speakers on different areas of mathematical research has greatly helped me become more confident in approaching new areas with new thoughts.
Often the researchers pose open problems. I note those down and after returning home, I try to read up about them but usually I find there are lots and lots of background material to cover and certainly I would have to spend a lot of time reading things up to get to the point where the speaker leaves something as an open problem. Please note I am a beginning graduate student.
Even if open problems have not been directly posed, following the speaker's work may eventually lead me to solve related problems in the area. Unfortunately the time taken scares me and essentially those notes get lost.
I am not even sure if the system I am following is proper. How does one get the most out of seminars? Or, what message is a seminar really intended to convey? Just a demonstration of some work done by the speaker, to be validated (at least at face value) by the audience? Or expose the audience to areas they can work on? In the latter case, how does one keep track of all the information obtained from seminars? A disciplined approach would be solicited.

Your approach sounds great and the small adjustment I'd suggest would be to use one notebook or logbook every time you go to a seminar.  That notebook will be a gold mine for you at some point in the future.

@aparente001: Unfortunately, your statement is more true than you think.  The notebook will be a gold mine in that it will contain some very valuable gold, but like real-life gold mines, it will also contain a much larger amount of dross.  I keep my old seminar and research notes, but I find it easier to read the relevant papers again than to look for what I need in my notes.

@AlexanderWoo - Well, I didn't mean you have to pan for gold (pore painstakingly through, line by line).  One can jump around, glancing at topics here and there, getting questions.  Kind of like C. Wright MIlls' trick of dumping out the contents of his filing cabinets on the floor, and re-sorting everything, to get ideas and questions.

Mathematics is a highly specialized subject.  Unless you're an exceptional mathematician, you are not going to do research in all of mathematics.  You're not even going to do research in all of algebraic topology.  Rather, you'll become a specialist in Glauznov operators on stable homotopy groups of Alberti spaces (example entirely made up).
As a (rather unfairly wrong but not without merit) starting point, you can assume that mathematicians are all solipsists interested only in their own problems.  A seminar talk serves as an opportunity for one mathematician to advertise their problems and solutions in the hope that mathematicians in the audience will find the ideas they hear useful in their own work, or, even better, mathematicians in the audience will actually become interested in the speaker's problems.
The truth is that, as far as leading to publications is concerned, 95% of the seminar talks I go to will be a waste of an hour.  However, it's also true that I won't solve 95% of the problems I make initial attempts on.
As a first year graduate student, you are not going to get much out of the technical details of seminar talks.  What you can get (at least if the talks are good) is some flavor of different areas of mathematics so that you can make a more informed choice about what to specialize in.  At some point, you will need to spend a year or two reading up on the background to something you hear about in one seminar talk.  If you go to a lot of seminar talks, you will have a better idea of what you will want to end up spending a year or two reading up on.  In addition, you will get some idea of the broader range of ideas that might be indirectly useful to whatever problem you end up working on, so that you will know which experts to contact and what to learn if you need help on some aspect of your problem that is not directly suggested in the prior literature.

Also, if you go to a lot of seminar talks you'll (hopefully) get an idea of how to give a good seminar talk, which will help you when it's your turn to give one. You can even make notes on this aspect of the talks, eg "the slides were hard to read from the back of the room" or "the speaker projected their voice very clearly".

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/


text:
How competitive exactly is physics/applied mathematics academia (UK)?
I am a PhD physics/applied mathematics student, and I was wondering how competitive academia is in these subjects. The area of research is in biophysics/statistical mechanics/mathematical modelling by the way.
I've heard of so many stories saying how ridiculously competitive academia is, which makes me think that perhaps I won't make it. How likely is it for a student like me to land a post-doc position for instance? Assuming I get a few papers sorted throughout the next 3 years, attend conferences and do some teaching on the side.
Thank you

There is no way for anyone to answer your question. Yes, it is competitive. But there is no "from 1 to 10" scale to say how competitive exactly, and of course there is no way for us to say what the chances for you personally are to get a position.

related...not specific to the UK, though I don't imagine the situation in the UK is that much different than in the rest of the western countries.

I'm entering second year postdoc in theoretical condensed matter physics/quantum optics. Finished my PhD in continental Europe in the normal timespan. Not the most fancy fellowships, didn't win any awards or so. Published a few good quality papers , though not in super high-end journals, and did an exchange during my PhD.
Found an exciting postdoc opportunity on the other side of the world, without too much effort, in a higher ranking uni and it has proven to be a very rewarding decision also for personal life. It's all about the journey. Worth it even if it doesn't lead to tenure.

It is impossible to give any definite answer, since there are too many variables involved and they are changing all the time. Predicting three years in advance is pretty hard in any situation. We hope we are at the tail end of the pandemic, but hope won't make it go away.
But, the more you do and the more you accomplish, the better your chances of an academic career. You may, however, need to make compromises of various sorts to stay in academia.
One place to get a general idea is to ask at your own institution what has happened to recent graduates and what did they do/accomplish to get to where they are.
In three years a lot of students might show up in your field, increasing faculty demand. Or, they might all disappear into some other field, or disappear altogether, as happened to me.
But yes, papers are good. Teaching is good. Building a circle of collaboration through joint papers and conferences is good. If you cast a wide net for employment then you are more likely to catch something. Don't ignore any viable options.
And, applied math gives you some pretty general skills so that you will have a career, even if it is a bit different from the one you set out to achieve.


text:
How can I make an informed decision on whether to do a PhD in engineering or not?
About me:
About to start final year ChemE
Top of class/grades
Have completed 6 month co-ops in pharma and biopharma
Liked the work but think that I would much prefer development or research type work
I need to make a decision over the next month to either:
Take a graduate program/job in pharma or biopharma
Do a PhD (I have been talking to my professor who has agreed to take me on or else give me a reference for another college)
Take the graduate program and do a PhD simultaneously (difficult option but I know people who have done this)
I am really attracted to the idea of doing a PhD in a biopharma/biotech related space. I do not know if I am interested in academia afterwards or if I would prefer to work in industry. That said, I do not know much about the roles available to PhDs in industry.
I have heard that a PhD can give you more 'work freedom' and also a higher chance of working in cutting edge areas. Also the idea of working in a startup or starting my own company at some point is something I am interested in.
My problem is that I do not have the tools to decide what is the right decision for me. I would apprecaite any input or experience anyone has with this, or alternatively any advice on how I can make the right decision.
Thanks in advance. If I am missing key information here, apologies. I will add it in if it comes up in a comment.

My advice is to seek advice from those who know you and your situation best: friends, family members and teachers. Unfortunately a bunch of strangers on the internet can't decide what's best for you.

Thanks, I understand that you're not going to make the decision for me. Maybe what I meant to say was - can you point me in the direction of where I could make this decision? Talking with my lecturers/work colleagues will help me to see the benefits of either side, but it is me that will need to make a final decision. I currently do not know how to make a decision like this.

Hi welcome to SE Academia. I suggest you improve focus on your specific question (highlight it, add a question mark, etc) to increase chances you get helpful input. As it is it looks too broad and might get closed as such. Good luck!

Check out the jobs that you'll be enabling (and disabling) by getting a PhD. Getting a job is after all the ultimate aim of the PhD. It's imperative to know what options are available, both academic and non-academic, before you start.
Don't rely on hearsay like "PhDs give you more work freedom". Research it yourself. I suggest using a similar method to this answer I wrote for another question, applied to your field / target country. You're particularly interested in:

What jobs become available if you have a PhD? Do you find them attractive?
What jobs are already available to you, without a PhD? Do you find them attractive?
What is the salary like for either category?

You want to calculate whether it's worth doing a PhD so you can do jobs in the first category, versus not doing a PhD and going into the workforce at once. Be sure to factor in the time taken and the fact that if you go into the workforce at once you're likely to earn a substantially higher salary over that period. Remember also that if you get a PhD, you're probably overqualifying yourself out of the jobs in the second category. I personally like doing calculations like this one, your mileage might differ.
One more thing: you write that you think you'll like research work more. Don't just think, verify it! Do a research project, undergraduate level is fine and a short one is also fine. If you find you like it then by all means get the PhD, but if you find it to be a huge culture shock and discover you actually don't want to do research - you wouldn't be the first - then run while you're still able. There really is no reason not to do this. If you find you like research, your supervisor will also be able to write you a recommendation letter for your applications.

Are you suggesting I should type 'PhD ChemE/Biotech' into job search portals and see if I think I'd like them. I will do this, however many jobs will be looking for someone with a 'PhD skillset' but will not mention a PhD in the job description. Also, I have done an undergraduate research project and enjoyed it. From this experience I learned that I am much more interested in 'applied/practical research' rather than research on the more academic side of the spectrum.

@NoviceCoder11 "many jobs will be looking for someone with a 'PhD skillset' but will not mention a PhD in the job description" are you sure or is this hearsay? In any case you can always use keywords like "research pharmacy" which should find what you want also.

It is hearsay! Thank you. The job itself is surely only one aspect. I will surely (as far as I know) have to look into 'hearsay' such as increased rate of career advancement, increased career freedom and flexibility, increased rate of increase in salary, increased chance of owning a technical startup?

Also can you suggest a good job portal? I do not care if it is local to me, I just want to see examples of jobs available to PhDs in ChemE/Biotech/Biopharma

@NoviceCoder11 If you can find details about those, absolutely. My experience is that if a company needs someone with a PhD skillset they will say so in the job description. Rate of career advancement / rate of increase in salary depends on performance, career freedom is definitely present though since PhDs tend to be more independent and need less guidance. As for technical startups, those depend on whether you can come up with the "idea". I can't suggest a job portal since these are necessarily local; search using Google.

Thanks for your help. Just to be clear, you are saying that in order to make an informed decision, I need to search available jobs for PhDs in the ChemE/Biotech areas and based off of what I think my interest in these jobs would be, decide whether this route is right for me?

@NoviceCoder11 yes.

Much appreciated for your help on this @Allure

I would lean towards doing the Ph.D. GIVEN THE INDUSTRY.  If this were oil and gas (upstream), it would be a different decision and you might be a lot better off going straight to work.  But the biopharm industry tends to be very academic.  And Ph.D. is like a union card.
Try to pick a school/prof with a reputation for fast degrees, good reputation and some contact to industry.  Ideally in an area with some biotech or pharma industry.  You don't want to get too caught into the pure academia exploitation trap.
Really, I would recommend the joint job/degree program most.  You can hack it.  And having a real job gives you a different feeling of self respect than being a grad student.  But the regular Ph.D. program is fine too, given you know where you are headed.


text:
Forced to retake physics fundamental classes even with a master's in Physics
My wife moved from India in 2021. She has a green card and a master's degree in physics. When she got here she decided to study radiation therapy at a nearby community college. She got her foreign transcript evaluated through a website and gave those to the community college.
There was no issue, but now the community college is making her retake a physics fundamental course and lab as prerequisites to get into the radiation therapy program. The community college says this is due to some new rule (new prerequisites).
Is there anything she can do to not take these prerequisites? Is this even normal? She has even published some things related to physics.

Pretty sure the most she can do is argue with the college. Don't think there is any way to force them to accept credits or be reasonable.

This is a local issue to be worked out with that college. Alternatively, try a different college. Alternatively, ask if she can avoid the course by taking a final exam for such a course. That is sometimes allowed. And, yes, I think it is pretty normal for international students in the medical profession. Lots of doctors drive taxis, for example.

The exact nature of the class is important. If it is something like "fundamentals of lab procedures in physics" that is very different. Could be they want her to freshen up on stuff that will give her accredation regarding situations involving radiation hazard. Many places have laws requiring such things to be renewed every 2 years or some such. Folks working at nuclear power plants, for example, have to take such classes periodically to keep working at the plant.

A number of years ago I was a faculty member at a university that shall remain nameless and my wife, who was then an RN nurse, was looking into the possibility of taking courses for either a BS nursing degree (her nursing degree was from a community college) or, if her background allowed (she also had, from the early 1980s, a double major in English and Computer Science), courses for a Master's in nursing. She called someone on the phone one day and this led to her getting an appointment to talk to someone in the College of Nursing. (continued)

At the appointed time she showed up with all the things she was asked to bring -- her nursing license, all her college transcripts, her high school transcript, etc. Sometime during the conversation the person my wife was talking to said that college algebra was required for admission and she couldn't find college algebra anywhere on my wife's transcripts. Never mind that my wife had A's in Calculus 1, Calculus 2, Linear Algebra, and Discrete Mathematics (she might have had a B in Calculus 2). In fact, as my wife told the story to me later that evening, (continued)

the person she talked to was looking over her transcripts, saw linear algebra, and said something about how she needs college algebra not linear algebra, and that she would have to take college algebra and get at least a C before she could be considered for admission. Now I'm sure there were placement tests the math department could use that they (the nursing people) would accept, if even this much was needed (i.e. get the math department -- someone besides me, if that would have been a problem -- to vouch (continued)

that her background clearly satisfied the requirement), but my wife was so shocked that she didn't pursue it at that time, and later became so disillusioned from this incident that she decided to take some graduate English courses instead (what she was more interested in, anyway). Incidentally, about 25 years later she finally did get her BSN degree, and at a significantly more competitive and highly ranked university. And she didn’t have to take college algebra, as the people there recognized that her calculus and linear algebra courses clearly met the college algebra requirement.

@DaveLRenfro this was almost the same experience my wife had talking to her Advisor. Just because she didn’t have fundamental physics in her transcript then she couldn’t satisfy the requirement for that class. She told them she could show them her high school transcript showing a class for Fundamental physics. Of course they said they don’t accept high school transcripts.

I had a similar experience as an undergrad. I had taken 4 freshman English courses that transferred to my university but then got a notice that I couldn't graduate without taking the Freshman English competency exam. ALL of my courses qualified to get me out of the test and one was even listed (under a slightly different name) as an exemption courses. I complained but they wouldn't budge. So during the exam, instead of the actual topic, I wrote about how people working in the English department should learn how to read their own catalog. I ended up getting an apology from the Dean.

Ask them what "due to some new rule" means specifically -- in particular, ask them for the rule.
You can always ask them to waive the rule, or to exempt your wife from the rule. Whether they can and will do so depends on what the rule actually says, but that is not something we can help you here.

Getting credits transferred is always iffy, especially from a foreign school, and the requirements might be coming from the accreditor or whatever bureaucratic entity supervises the CC. So there's probably nothing you can do that you haven't already tried to get the course waived completely.
But you could ask whether she can take the final to place out of the course. Alternatively, the CC might be more amenable to an exception making the course a co-requisite rather than a pre-requisite if she can make the case that she's ready for the radiology program.

might be more amenable to an exception making the course a co-requisite --- This is a possibility that might be worth pursuing.

The options are:

Meet the community college's requirements for transfer credit.  We do not know what those are.
Study radiation therapy somewhere with better rules.
Choose not to get that degree.


text:
Is it appropriate to ask a prospective PhD advisor whether working for them would be good for my career?
Summary Between my Ph.D. offers, I narrowed down my choices to two. Right now, my decision is mostly dependent on a few factors I didn't discuss with either advisor. I want to ask about these issues directly, but am worried about alienating either or both advisors.
My two options
Option 1:

Advisor is a veteran of the field and some of his recent graduates have landed excellent postdoc positions
Institute is well-established in the field and widely recognized as one of the bests in the world

Option 2:

Advisor is much younger, though so far very successful. His first advisees will graduate this year (so can't yet gauge their success).
Institute is very young and its PhD program has had too few alumni so far to give a good image of how successful they are in landing jobs in academia. That being said, institute X has been able to attract excellent faculties and postdocs from top universities (top 10 of the world) and some of their more experienced faculties left tenured positions at those top universities to join X. They also invite world-class faculties and postdocs from the best institutions from all around the world for their weekly colloquium. They're not still as successful in attracting PhD applicants though (perhaps because, as I saw during their interview event, those other offerees that also hold offers from more prestigious universities have the same concern as I do).
Good program structure and flexibility
Good resources and opportunities
Tempting financial offer.

My concern: I like option 2, but I want a job in academia. If I choose option 2, the name of the institute I'll have done my PhD at may not carry enough weight to help me get into excellent postdoc positions and eventually land a tenure-track job in a decent university.
Question: Is it inappropriate to share this concern very frankly with the advisor at institute 2 (who himself has graduated from an incredibly prestigious university)? Could asking that question upset the advisor and negatively influence my chances for later becoming a postdoc in their group? I was thinking of describing the situation as I described above (with a little more details) and ask for Prof. Q's opinion fully honestly. If that's inappropriate, is there a more appropriate way of doing that?

I found this immensely confusing -- tried to clean up, taking my best guess as to what the situation is, feel free to change anything I misinterpreted.

Just some advice: Don't be so sure that you want a job in academia. Leave all options open. Non-academia can be nice to. First do PhD, then decide.

@Holla Thanks for the advice. I know that my opinion may change in that regard, but I presumed if I'm qualified for a decent job in Academia, I'll be qualified for a good job in industry too. Is that presumption wrong?

@nra That wildly depends on so many things.

Could asking that question upset the advisor...

You have a legitimate concern. If advisor 2 is angry that you brought up a legitimate, important concern, you're probably better off working with advisor 1.

...and negatively influence my chances for later becoming a postdoc in their group?

It is far too early to start worrying about specific post-doc options.

I think it's fine to ask this question politely.  Most PIs will appreciate that this is a concern and have had similar choices to make themselves, and they may well be impressed at how forward-thinking you are at this early stage of your career.  Butter them up by emphasising why you like their project and you'll be fine.
However, to give you some unsolicited advice, it sounds like your option 2 is the better offer from the way you have described them.  Having a degree from a top institution or under a famous supervisor helps a little, but it doesn't count for a huge amount.  What's more important is that you remain happy enough and motivated enough to achieve the best you can in your PhD (which is harder than it sounds!).  Factors like the support you get from your supervisor and other lab members, your interest in the project, the training available to you, and frankly whether you are paid enough not to have to worry about paying your next bill, will make a much bigger difference to your productivity - and ultimately productivity is what prospective postdoc advisers want.

Thanks for the advice. There's one other downside of option 2 that I didn't explain as it wasn't relevant to the question: My research interests are quite odd in that institute (unless they change significantly). No other grad student or prof works in my specific area of interest, but the prospective advisor expressed his interest in entering that area if more experienced collaborators join. Fortunately, the Institute does have very close partner institutions with experienced scholars in those areas (located in the same city), but I don't know if I can count on them accepting to work with me.


text:
What's my responsibility if I suspect an IRB violation? Could I be personally responsible if I don't report my concerns?
I'm a part of the University staff supporting research. I recently became aware of a faculty research project being conducted with a commercially purchased dataset that contains PII. I do not believe the faculty member has submitted the project for IRB review but is conducting the research anyway.
My supervisor's messaging to the the faculty member was 'We recommend any research that uses this dataset be reviewed by the IRB. However, the responsibility is ultimately that of the researcher's to decide whether IRB review is necessary'. As far as I am aware, the faculty member never submitted or received IRB approval. The attitude from our management team was that we shouldn't block research projects, particularly since the faculty member had helped to pay the licensing fees for the dataset. If the faculty member chooses to go ahead without IRB approval, any misuse of the data is solely their responsibility.
Is it correct that all the responsibility lies with the faculty member? What are our responsibilities as staff after we have warned faculty? If I am aware of this situation and I don't report it to the Universities research ethics team, will I be personally responsible for any abuse of the dataset?
This a private University in the United States.

I suspect that the answer strongly depends on your institution's policies.

Where can you purchase data containing PII? Also, what is the relationship between your supervisor and the PI? Do you both work for the PI, or are you in the ethics office?

There are certainly two components here: (1) whether you could be legally responsible under the funding agency's regulations [I'm assuming this is funded by a federal agency] or civil law, and (2) whether you could be sanctioned by your employer for not reporting it. Answers to #2 may vary based on a number of factors, but #1 should be very answerable.

@AzorAhai-him- There are any number of mailing list providers that offer not only contact information but also income estimates, net worth estimates, hobbies, and even things like political affiliation.  All of that is PII.  In the United States, DHS also defines "sensitive PII" to include things like Social Security Number.  There are certainly other sources of PII that I don't know about.

"However, the responsibility is ultimately that of the researcher's to decide whether IRB review is necessary'." That seems precisely wrong to me. It wouldn't prevent the very serious abuses for which the IRB system was designed. There are a few clear exceptions, but generally it is the IRB that decides.

Related question about the PI's potential exposure: What possible consequences could one face for not getting IRB approval for federally-funded research?

My reaction (based on U.S. experience) is that anything with "PII" (personally identifiable information) needs IRB approval, and it's not up to the discretion of the investigator. Sure, in math, my field, although it rarely involves even potentially sensitive stuff, our proposals have to go through an IRB review before they're passed on to the funding agencies.

The question should indicate what are IRB and PII. I presume it is Institutional Review Board and Personal Identifying Information or some such.

It depends on your regulatory environment and other details.  If you are talking about the Helsinki Declaration in the context of performing research, it says:

It is the duty of physicians who are involved in medical research to protect the life, health, dignity, integrity, right to self-determination, privacy, and confidentiality of personal information of research subjects. The responsibility for the protection of research subjects must always rest with the physician or other health care professionals ...

Under the Declaration, responsibility depends on your status as a "professional."  (A bit odd, in my opinion.)
In the context of publication, the Declaration says

Researchers, authors, sponsors, editors and publishers all have ethical obligations with regard to the publication and dissemination of the results of research.

In my opinion, the final responsibility for ethical publication should rest with journal editors.
If you are talking about US regulations, the Common Rule defines research as

systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge

The simple fact that someone purchased a license to use protected data does not tell us if it is research or not.  If it's a case study (not systematic), or if the results are intended to be kept secret (not contributing to generalizable knowledge), then regulations might not require IRB approval.  If it's not research, regulations do not require research ethics.


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Postdoc in Math/Quantum Information with Multiple Interests
I’m about two years away from completing my PhD in Applied Mathematics (fingers crossed). I’m interested in pursuing a postdoc, and I would like to start learning about the process. My research focuses on mathematical problems arising in quantum information science. Specifically, I am interested in the following topics:

Analysis of Quantum Algorithms
Mathematics of Topological Quantum Computation

Most of my current work is in area 1, but I aim to complete a project in area 2 before I graduate. I am actively building my background in area 2 through reading papers, self-study and talking with faculty and post-docs, and I intend to pursue research in both areas during my postdoc and beyond.
How can I structure my postdoc application to highlight both my primary research focus and a secondary interest, even if I have limited project experience in the latter? Is it feasible to secure a postdoc position that aligns with my secondary area of interest, and how realistic is it to expand my research agenda during a postdoc?
In short, I’m seeking insight into how PIs hire postdocs and what the best strategy is for securing a position, especially if one doesn’t have extensive experience in a secondary research area.


text:
Finding Postdoc Positions in Math/Quantum Information
I’m about two years away from completing my PhD in Applied Mathematics (fingers crossed). I’m interested in pursuing a postdoc, and I would like to start learning about the process. My research focuses on mathematical problems arising in quantum information science. Specifically, I am interested in the Analysis of Quantum Algorithms and Mathematics of Topological Quantum Computation
How can I find postdoc positions in mathematics and where are they typically listed? Are postdoc positions typically advertised by individual PIs or departments? Do I apply directly to a specific PI’s group/project, or is the process more like graduate school applications, where I apply to the department as a whole? How does this process differ in fields like computer science?

Could you clarify how this question differs from your other one https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/213688/postdoc-in-math-quantum-information-with-multiple-interests

I was told my initial post had too many questions. So I made two posts instead. This post is about getting to know more about the logistics of applying for postdoc positions. The other question is more about understanding the application process and how to present a strong profile given my different interests under the umbrella of math and quantum.

A vast majority of mathematics positions at US institutions are currently advertised at mathjobs.org.

Are postdoc positions typically advertised by individual PIs or departments? Do I apply directly to a specific PI’s group/project, or is the process more like graduate school applications, where I apply to the department as a whole?

@user82261 It varies. You'll get a better perspective than I can synthesize by going to mathjobs, filtering by postdocs, sorting by post date, and then checking adverts.


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Can a former employer provide a useful recommendation for graduate admission to a science program?
In its online application form for graduate admission, Stanford University requires three recommenders and allows for another three optional ones. Quoting the application form:

You must provide three letters and evaluations from faculty or others
  qualified to evaluate your potential for graduate study. At least one
  letter and evaluation should be from a faculty member at the last
  school you attended as a fulltime student (unless you have been out of
  school for more than five years). Substitutions for faculty
  recommendations may include work associates or others who can comment
  on your academic potential for graduate work.

Reading this, I feel somewhat uncertain what type of recommendations would most help my application. I'm particularly confused by the phrase

Substitutions for faculty recommendations may include work associates...

I worked for Apple a few years back. A favorable letter from my then-supervisor might convey the impression that I'm technologically minded and enjoy ties to Silicon Valley. Considering Stanford's own proximity and close connection to the Valley, such a recommendation might be well-received?
On the other hand, I'm applying to the theoretical Physics program. My former supervisor at Apple clearly has no basis on which to judge my potential for graduate work in this field. Can anyone provide some pertinent insight into what purpose recommendations are supposed to fulfill? Would a letter solely commenting on my work ethic and team spirit help my case?

What was your former supervisor's background? If they had a technical degree, perhaps even a PhD, that would change the balance significantly. I have written recommendation letters to graduate programs for folks, but I am a PhD and manage a research group at a national lab. You might be surprised at the backgrounds of managers at Apple.

Even if you didn't do research and your boss wasn't a PhD, were you successful in a high-pressure environment?  Were you forced to adapt to changing circumstances, be creative, work as a team, meet deadlines?  I'm actually hard pressed to think of any way employment at a high-profile tech firm is not an unambiguous positive, assuming you weren't in an utterly unrelated area, like a chef in the Apple cafeteria, or sub-par at your job.  You still need your academic ones, but this would be a great third or fourth letter.

@JeffL. I really had to laugh at ...assuming you weren't in an utterly unrelated area, like a chef in the Apple cafeteria, .... No, I wasn't but thanks for the warning. :)

The important thing to keep in mind is that the goal isn't this specific letter, but composing the best possible application for, in this case, Stanford. So the primary question is: would a letter from your supervisor at Apple improve your set of recommendation letters? If you already have 6 letters from very qualified people that know your work well and can comment on your ability to perform at the Stanford program, a letter from your former boss might not add much. However if you only have 3 people at the moment who can really say something about you, adding your former boss couldn't really hurt. A few things in mind are:

How long, how long ago and how closely did you work with your former boss compared to the other people writing you letter of recommendation?
Was there a (strict) selection process to get into Apple? If so, the selection people at Stanford might be interested why the selection people at Apple chose you out of all possible candidates.
Did you do any research at Apple, or answer any research questions? Even when not doing theoretical physics, your attitude towards discovery and finding new knowledge might be relevant.

I'd build on the third point by suggesting that you think about the relevance of what you did at Apple to the process of completing a graduate program. Remember that any program will require a certain number of transferable skills. Besides research, did any of your work at Apple show that you would be well-suited to this graduate program? You don't say what you did at Apple, so you may be the only one able to answer this.


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Statement of Purpose (MS/MA vs PhD)
Is there any fundamental difference between a statement of purpose for a masters and a PhD?
In particular, I am talking about North American graduate schools and in the fields like mathematics and science where there is a high degree of technical knowledge. This means that there may be quite a significant difference in the level of maturity when comparing a potential master's student and a potential PhD student
For instance, it may be more understandable for a student applying for a master's to have a less extensive research experience than someone who is applying for a PhD. But on the other hand, it also seems to make sense that the committee for graduate applications would be the same and it may be difficult to actually distinguish the difference.
My question stems from the fact that I don't seem to see any examples of statement of purposes that explicitly mentions that they are applying for a masters.
I would be thankful for any insights.

Actually your Statement of Purpose should talk about your purpose in seeking the degree. Often the purpose of seeking a Master's is different from that of a potential doctoral application. Sometimes one seeking an MS doesn't intend to go further and apply the knowledge in industry. Sometimes the real purpose is just a stepping stone to a PhD.
State your purpose honestly. What are your real goals. It isn't normal in North America to have a lot of research experience at the end of a BS. Whether it is at the end of an MS depends on the field and the university. A terminal MS may not include a lot of research either, as the purpose is different. But one leading to later doctoral study will probably get you started in doing research.
Also, in North America, in many (most?) fields, you can apply directly to a doctoral program with a BS/BA. The term of study will be longer than if you already have an MS, but you can be accepted. The MS may come along more or less automatically as you progress, perhaps with a required MS Thesis.
But in any case, the SOP should state what your goals are no matter the degree you seek. It is even acceptable at that stage to be somewhat tentative about your goals, provided that your background and work ethic is good. You don't have to decide for the rest of your life when you are only about twenty years old.
It isn't the degree that determines what is appropriate. It is your own goals as you see them and want to work towards them.


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Preventing Verbatim Answers that Match Examples?
When teaching students (especially in code, but this can apply to any subject), how do you prevent near verbatim answers that match your examples?
For example, I tell students how to find a document by ID in an array of documents. I show them the code foundDocument = documentArray.find(singleDocument => singleDocument._id = id). I then ask students to find a fruit in fruitArray. The answer I'll get is foundDocument = fruitArray.find(singleDocument => singleDocument._id = id), which works, but not the ideal answer.
Some notes based on the content discussion and answers so far:
This is sort of for a project. I teach both one off weekend classes and long term coding mentorship and this comes up in both. The goal of the weekend class is to build a website by the end. The goal of the mentorship is for the singular student to have built an MVP of their product.
The array example above was the simplest and shortest example I could think of to demonstrate my issue. I also see this happen where whole files get copied and the students expects something different to happen.
What I'm hoping to prevent is the pattern matching that students sometimes do but they don't fully understand the why of what they are doing. I've also seen (and done this myself) often in the STEM fields. You find a formula that works and re apply it but not understand what you're doing.

What do you think the ideal answer is? If you gave me that example and that instruction I would produce exactly what you are bothered by getting. I would probably consider any other approach to be needless work.

Hmmm. I think you need a lesson on "intention revealing names". I hope you emphasize that and make them practice it. Otherwise, copy, paste, fixup, is always the student's preferred strategy. Some professionals too, sad to say.

This sort of question works much better and will get more relevant answers if you post it instead at CSEducators: https://cseducators.stackexchange.com/. That site is optimized for questions like this.

I think most of us didn't fully realize the value of clear, self-explanatory naming (or what that would actually look like) when we were first learning to code. You can try to teach that, but it takes a couple of times struggling to understand code you wrote yourself 6-12 months ago to really internalize the lesson.

I did not realize there was a CS educators site. I'll try there as well. However I think this is still relevant to academia in general because students can often pattern match without actually understanding the material. I may be phrasing the term / idea wrong so if there is a better way to phrase it, please help. From what I've seen, this is more common in STEM fields but you can pattern match in any subject

@merlinpatt: Before you ask on [cseducators.se], note that copy-pasting of questions is frowned upon here (oh, the irony), but it’s usually okay to re-ask a question if you want a different perspective from another community for some reason, emphasise on this, and reference the previous incarnation of your question. I will not migrate the question (as requested by flags) as I do not consider it off-topic and several answers are not CS-specific.

I'm a programmer and I don't really understand what sort of answer you were expecting here. foundFruit = fruitArray.find(singleFruit => singleFruit._id = id)? x = fruitArray.find(y => y.z = z)? There's not really any room for variation other than changing variable names. (ignoring that that should be == in most languages)

What more do you want me to clarify?

@immibis - As a simple answer to a question, not changing the variable names to match the context wouldn't be an issue. However, if one copied a line of code like this into a larger chunk of code, then having variable names referencing documents when the code as a whole deals with fruit would make the code more confusing, and more difficult to maintain. Copy three unconnected examples into that chunk of code, and you'd have real chaos.

When teaching students...how do you prevent near verbatim answers that match your examples?

I ask questions that cannot be answered correctly by near-verbatim matches of my examples.

While generally a good idea, this answer doesn't entirely work for software engineering. The example given in the question demonstrates using a lambda to locate an element in an array based on a specific property. There isn't really a way to make a verbatim copy of the example not work; the example shows the correct syntax, so it'll work, that's just how the programming language functions.

@anaximander: In that case you ask a different simple question that requires understanding how lambdas and find works.  Software engineering is not special in this regard.

@anaximander I think in the given example it would help to at least use different properties (e.g. ask to find by name instead of id). Instead of such generic properties you could also use something more realistic (e.g. document.charCount, fruit.calories). Then you can make slightly more complex examples, like find all documents with more than X characters and ask for find all fruits with less than X calories in the hopes that at least some students notice that document.calories does not make much sense.

This answer is specific to the field of computer science, in keeping with the OP's question. Obviously the answer is much different if we were talking about a creative writing class or something.
In the field of computer science, there sometimes is a "best way" to do something. In your example, you are searching an array for a specified object. In most languages, array type objects have a find() function. This is the "best way" to access the array. I would actually consider it to be more wrong if a student used another approach to iterate over an array looking for a specific element.
I will touch on the nuance of using the identifier singleDocument in searching for a fruit in a fruit array. Perhaps this is what worries you? Yes, ideally a student should change singleDocument to something like singleFruit. Perhaps make a side comment to students in class about such practices, as it does indeed matter if we care about intelligible code. I would then leave it at that.  Students who persist in using bad naming practices in their code usually end up getting themselves twisted up in longer projects and  learn the folly of their ways.
I will add as an aside that when I first was learning to write computer code (Java), I sometimes made "mistakes" like the one you show (no identifier name change). This was due to the fact that I did not fully understand what could be changed in code and what could not be. I was more worried about finishing the project and less worried about writing really clean code. As I became more advanced, I quickly learned how to rectify issues such as changing identifier names to be more meaningful.

Students who persist in using bad naming practices in their code usually end up getting themselves twisted up in longer projects and learn the folly of their ways. - Is this true?  I don't teach a lot of coding, so maybe I don't see it, but it has not been my experience that "students usually learn the folly of their ways."

@Kimball This depends a lot on how far they go in the subject. In the case of CS, sure, you can have bad coding practices and finish the 150 line solutions in CS 101. But when you get to CS 201, 202, 203, etc. and have to produce projects of 1000+ lines and multiple classes, you either correct your ways or fail.

Re "bad naming practices": The length of a variable name should be directly proportional to the amount of code that can interact with it.  In this case, the parameter is used exactly once, right next to its definition.  It should be neither singleDocument nor singleFruit, but rather something short like x.  Then you wouldn't have this copy & paste problem in the first place, because there would be nothing to change.

@Kimball - I'm not sure I agree with Vladhagen's comment that writing projects with longer chunks of code will break students of bad habits like inappropriate identifiers. In practice, most courses are short enough that if you can write your code int the first place, you may not be away from it long enough to forget what things mean, even with multiple courses. Maintaining code written a few months ago will do that. However, courses where you're programming as a team with other students can also do this, and is likely to happen in at least one course.

@RDFozz At least in the CS classes I took, the upper division courses had projects that were 1) much too long to get away with bad naming conventions and 2) usually collaborative. There is obviously no way to force good naming conventions, but I found that very, very, very few people made it to the upper division CS course and still had bad naming conventions.

@Vladhagen - Given that I got my CS degree in 1986, things could have changed a lot. :-) From my experience (mostly since university), while you're immersed in a project (even if you're also doing other things), you may be able to remember what you're doing, and what the names mean, for a few months. Collaboration would impact this quickly, as others won't know what you're thinking. And, returning to your own code after enough time has passed (could be as little as a month; 6-12 months should do for anyone) winds up with you viewing the code as if someone else wrote it.

It looks like the problem is correctness output vs clarity of code? In which case, a consistently used markscheme that gives/docks points for correct output and further points for correct use of variable names and any other relevant conventions would motivate students to pay attention to such issues, in the same way that eg English teachers give/dock points for grammar and spelling, math teachers for showing working, physics teachers for drawing diagrams...
If they are not first year students, you could also motivate the practice by asking them to bring along some code from previous years and getting them to edit/extend it. Or providing examples with the same functionality but different readability for them to alter.

If you are marking the students answers/project/exercises (that contain code), one trick is to leave 5% to code quality.
This means clean comments, sensible variable names and no useless code. Its minor and unlikely to be the edge between fail and pass, but helps encourage good practice (and most of the times students realise that it is in fact easier for them to use good practices!)

Why not do a multiple choice question “ which of the following will do x?” with one correct version and slight errors in the others - can even do partial marking depending on the error.
I have this in excel functions like vlookup with a list that asks which version will return the name or price etc

When tutoring my fellow students it is of utmost important that they understand the basic concept behind what they are doing or else they will just come again and ask me the next week. As far as I have experienced learning only really takes place if they figure out the solution on their own instead of copy pasting. This will take a lot more effort and time at the beginning but the payoff is well worth it.
Depending on the age of your students you should point them to the documentation of a function/object and let them figure it out by themselves. If they want to program properly reading documentation is one of the most essential parts, if this is too hard (especially at the beginning) you can give them the method signature and an abstract explanation.
Arrays.find(item => item.property == needle)

haystack = ....
item = ....
needle = ...

In this case they have to at least replace the variable names with matching names and abstract the assignment part. If lambdas are required make sure that you have covered them in an earlier example and reference it, in this case you can even keep the example more general


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Failed for the first time in the last unit of my graduation. What options do I have?
I have failed the very last unit, which is my first fail for my combined degree course. I haven't failed any of the in-semester assessments, nor have I failed any other units in my course. I was curious as to what options I would have? The circumstance, I would say, are exceptional as it is the only  element that is holding me from graduation. I also haven't missed any of my classes.
Any advice would be highly appreciate it - if I can provide any information, please let me know.

Sorry to hear about your experience. This question is likely to be off-topic here because the answer is specific to your conditions and regulations of your university, and we don't know them. It's likely that you will be asked to repeat the unit and/or resit the assessment.

I appreciate how stressful this situation can be, and that just any advice is going to go a long way in making things feel more under control. But policies like this tend to be university independent, and so it's likely you'll need to (and should) discuss with your university staff to find the exact situation.

@Bilkokuya any advice would be highly appreciate it  - who would be the best point of contact would you say

@3kstc When I was in a similar situation - I spoke with my direct tutors, head of department and we had an office for dealing with exactly these kinds of things. At least somebody should be able to help find you the next person to speak to. Just don't be afraid of annoying people or approaching too many people - it's a serious situation for you, and worrying about badgering/annoying people should be the last of your concerns. In the end though, regardless of what happens - I feel it's important to say things will work out in the long run, even if the degree result isn't what you want.