exit

As of spring 2024, I have exited the world of academic mathematics. I'm very glad to have done so, but the exit process has been both lonely and painful. In academic mathematics we tend not to speak openly about this experience, which I think is a real disservice to our individual journeys. I have a strong desire to change this cultural norm, and this webpage is dedicated to that goal.

• On a personal note, I am writing a document entitled "Reflections on a Life in Academic Mathematics", which I will post here when it's ready. This is essentially a letter to my past self, which I hope will resonate with others as they contemplate their own lives. If you'd like to be notified once it's posted, please fill out my subscription form.

• More broadly, I'd very much like to destigmatize the act (and indeed the contemplation) of exiting academic mathematics, and to facilitate communication and understanding across the boundary between academia and "industry" (a term referring to "the rest of the world" that as far as I can tell nobody outside of academia actually uses). To that end, I'd like to collect a centralized database of fellow exiteers, linking to their own ongoing online presences or contact information. I'm imagining having a once-a-year announcement of the latest cohort, to give it the air of a graduation celebration and also to manufacture a canonical cadence for folks to check the database and reach out as they wish. More information will appear here eventually (after the above note is complete). If you or somebody you know would like to be included in this database, please reach out!