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Academics in the Wild

A community of physicists and mathematicians learning from each other as we discover new career paths.

What's this community about?

At its most basic level, the AITW community is about talking to people.Maybe you love talking to people, in which case you'll be in your element.Or maybe talking to people feels like a chore, in which case this will be harder.But you should do it anyway.

Why talk to people?

Weak ties: At a minimum, you’ll build some weak ties with like-minded people, which is valuable on its own. Research shows weak ties are crucial for finding opportunities, as described in this MIT article.Strong ties: If things go well, you may even make some friends. That’s always a bonus!Recommendations: People with similar educational backgrounds will understand your value better and be more likely to recommend you. Recommendations can make a huge difference—see Amir Feizpour’s short clip for how this mechanism works.Mentorship: Mentorship benefits both mentors and mentees. Check out Simon Sinek’s short clip on this.Learn how the world really works: There’s a lot of useful info on the internet and in books. But there’s also a lot of other useful info that exists only in the minds of people with experience. It’s made up of unspoken norms, hidden dynamics, and behind-the-scenes realities that you can only learn by talking to people one-on-one.If you don't talk to people, you only get half of the picture.

Ok, I'm sold! How does this work?

Membership is free, but joining means taking an active role in events and discussions.As a new community, we're still shaping what it means to be a member, but at the moment, the focus is getting to know each other via Zoom events, such as 1-1 coffee chats and group meet & greets.As the community grows, we’ll explore other ways for us to connect, share knowledge, and support each other’s journeys. This could include additional events, local in-person events, collaborative projects, and crowdsourcing resources tailored to the needs and interests of our members.

A community for physicists and mathematicians on a nonlinear career adventure beyond academia.

Not ready yet?

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