Communications of the ACM
The Flight of the Weird Nerd from Academia
There's a risk if high-quality fundamental research ceases to be done in academia.
Credit: Shutterstock
In the last decades, The Weird Nerd has found a sanctuary within the confines of academia, a natural habitat where its traits are not only tolerated but often nurtured. In this symbiotic relationship, the wider world benefits from the intellectual pursuits and discoveries of The Weird Nerd, without the need to engage directly with its often annoying demeanor. It's a situation that seems to maintain a harmonious balance.
Has there been a disturbance in this equilibrium recently ?
"Academia has always been a haven for weird smart misfits, that's part of what makes it great, but now the weird misfits with high math GREs are working for Google or for quant hedge funds," Nate Silver said in a recent tweet.
In essence, The Weird Nerd has been poached away from Academia by simple market forces.
From Ruxandra's Substack
View Full Article
No entries found