- #1
- 24,775
- 792
A deepset culture bias says that too much limelight destroys scholars. The tradition goes back to monastery roots or even earlier. We expect scholars to withdraw to a quiet place: labor in the scriptorium and meditate in the monastery garden.
I know (my culture prepares me to expect) that it's time for Garrett to apply and get some postdoc offers--ideally even something more longterm but let's be modest in imaginings-- and disappear into some safe haven where he can share ideas with other young researchers and divide the labor. If academic physics doesn't have some suitable communal retreat at this point, something's seriously wrong with the cloister system.
So let's fantasize. Where would you go if you were Garrett? To Perimeter (if they offered) or to Penn State? or back to the surf and snowboard life? Suppose all the options were open: what would be the PERFECT place to continue improving E8 theory? Would you go to Marseille and join Rovelli's group?
I'd be seriously tempted by Utrecht. Renate Loll has taken on some topnotch postdocs, including one from UC San Diego. It's essentially Gerard 't Hooft's institute.
But I'd pick Nottingham. I'd essentially disappear into John Barrett's quantum geometry/gravity institute for about 3 years, find collaborators, and complete the theory.
I think I know why Nottingham, but might not be able to explain the choice clearly.
"f-h" who posts at PF might have some informed opinion since he knows the place.
Any body else have a preference? Visualize. As if everything were possible.
I know (my culture prepares me to expect) that it's time for Garrett to apply and get some postdoc offers--ideally even something more longterm but let's be modest in imaginings-- and disappear into some safe haven where he can share ideas with other young researchers and divide the labor. If academic physics doesn't have some suitable communal retreat at this point, something's seriously wrong with the cloister system.
So let's fantasize. Where would you go if you were Garrett? To Perimeter (if they offered) or to Penn State? or back to the surf and snowboard life? Suppose all the options were open: what would be the PERFECT place to continue improving E8 theory? Would you go to Marseille and join Rovelli's group?
I'd be seriously tempted by Utrecht. Renate Loll has taken on some topnotch postdocs, including one from UC San Diego. It's essentially Gerard 't Hooft's institute.
But I'd pick Nottingham. I'd essentially disappear into John Barrett's quantum geometry/gravity institute for about 3 years, find collaborators, and complete the theory.
I think I know why Nottingham, but might not be able to explain the choice clearly.
"f-h" who posts at PF might have some informed opinion since he knows the place.
Any body else have a preference? Visualize. As if everything were possible.