High-Paying Independent Jobs for Math PhDs: Unleash Your Potential!

[tgt]

...that does not involve working as part of an orgainsation.

Any?

 

[HallsofIvy]

Not part of an organization? You want to start your own "free-lance" mathematics business? I can imagine a being a consultant to various kinds of industries but I can't see that bringing in much money. In fact, that is the kind of thing University professors do in their "spare" time to make a little more money- but it's nice to have that day job!

 

[MathematicalPhysicist]

This and browsing physicsforums ofcours, halls. (-:

 

[tgt]

Not part of an organization? You want to start your own "free-lance" mathematics business? I can imagine a being a consultant to various kinds of industries but I can't see that bringing in much money. In fact, that is the kind of thing University professors do in their "spare" time to make a little more money- but it's nice to have that day job!

Why can't it bring in much money?

It doesn't have to be very commercial. For example, how about editing textbook?

 

[mal4mac]

Julian Barbour translated Russian physics papers freelance and made enough to keep a large family and a farmhouse, and was left with enough time to do the physics he wanted to do rather than what some grant committee forced him to do.

Freelance editing may work, check out the elance website to see what's on offer. Other ideas - freelance tutoring, start up a website and get Google AdSense advertising revenue, write popular books (like Fermat's Last Theorem -- look how well that sold!) Try reading Peter Martin's biography of Samuel Johnson for inspiration!

 

[cristo]

For example, how about editing textbook?

I doubt you can earn enough to live on by editing textbooks: there aren't that many that need editors. Besides, generally these jobs get given to professors that are active in the field!

 

[tgt]

Julian Barbour translated Russian physics papers freelance and made enough to keep a large family and a farmhouse, and was left with enough time to do the physics he wanted to do rather than what some grant committee forced him to do.

Freelance editing may work, check out the elance website to see what's on offer. Other ideas - freelance tutoring, start up a website and get Google AdSense advertising revenue, write popular books (like Fermat's Last Theorem -- look how well that sold!) Try reading Peter Martin's biography of Samuel Johnson for inspiration!

Wouldn't you need some credentials like professor to write successful popular science or maths books?

 

[JasonJo]

Wouldn't you need some credentials like professor to write successful popular science or maths books?

He did have a doctorate in Physics.

 

[Defennder]

Does anyone have a biography of this guy? He seems pretty famous, having been featured in a few documentaries and being a best-selling author. Couldn't find anything about him on Wikipedia or Google. I only managed to find this, which didn't say much:
http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/bios/barbour.html

 

[Cexy]

Does anyone have a biography of this guy? He seems pretty famous, having been featured in a few documentaries and being a best-selling author. Couldn't find anything about him on Wikipedia or Google. I only managed to find this, which didn't say much:
http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/bios/barbour.html

Nothing on Wikipedia or Google?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Barbour
http://www.google.com/search?q=julian+barbour

 

[Defennder]

Do any of those links tell you about where he was born, his early education and life up till his PhD and other biographical details such as working history? It seems all I can find is that he got in PhD in physics in 1968 and of course a summary of his ideas. Nothing else.

 

[JasonJo]

Try his book. I tried reading it but in all honesty, it really bored me to tears and I usually like popular science books.

 

[Defennder]

I read it before but as you said I was kind of half put off by the book. But what I read so far doesn't tell me much about his biography.

 

[MathematicalPhysicist]

Do any of those links tell you about where he was born, his early education and life up till his PhD and other biographical details such as working history? It seems all I can find is that he got in PhD in physics in 1968 and of course a summary of his ideas. Nothing else.

I guess the man likes his privacy, could you blame him?

 

[Defennder]

Well yeah probably. So I was just wondering how he ever come to make a living being an isolated academic.

 

[MathematicalPhysicist]

Well if I'm not mistaken you know already that he made a living as translator of russian texts.

And I guess the contacts he made in his PHD studies, he kept being in contact with them.

I don't think that it's so unheard to receive a phd and continue not in academia, but as a freelancer.
I think it's more uncommon to hear someone who didn't even graduate with a phd who has a decent idependent research.