Yitang “Tom” Zhang and fame in mathematics

Re:Yitang “Tom” Zhang and fame in mathematics by pmiller2 on Friday December 30, 2016 @08:42PM (#13288934)

It actually sounds like the "having published no papers" bit was the primary reason he wasn't able to get a job. Not having an advisor recommendation is not a good sign, but it's hard to argue with published work.

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Re:Yitang “Tom” Zhang and fame in mathematics by justicezyx on Friday December 30, 2016 @09:21PM (#13289061)

I don't think a PhD can get any interview for academic jobs at all without adviser's reference letter.

It's worse than no publications.

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Re:Yitang “Tom” Zhang and fame in mathematics by argonaut on Friday December 30, 2016 @09:10PM (#13289028)

True, but it's not unheard of for math PhD's to graduate with no refereed publications (certainly they'll have a thesis), so it really was the lack of his advisor's recommendation that killed his career.

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Re:Yitang “Tom” Zhang and fame in mathematics by ithinkinstereo on Friday December 30, 2016 @08:52PM (#13288966)

That's a valid point. I know in Mathematics quality seems to trump quantity but having _no_ articles certainly didn't do him any favors.

But the lack of LORs... that would be a scarlet letter, no? I've never heard of a PHD advisor doing that; seems quite intentional and not at all like the way he presents it in his little essay I linked in my last post.

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Re:Yitang “Tom” Zhang and fame in mathematics by mikebenfield on Saturday December 31, 2016 @02:25AM (#13289982)

Publication rates in mathematics are much lower than in other fields, so the lack of publications isn't completely unusual. The lack of a letter from the advisor though would be seen as a major red flag.

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Re:Yitang “Tom” Zhang and fame in mathematics by cma on Friday December 30, 2016 @11:48PM (#13289549)

It is worth noting he already had a published paper before arriving in the US.

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