Is complex analysis in demand for academic jobs?

[mathprof]

Hello,
I'm new to this forum. I have recently graduated with a doctorate in mathematics and I'm now a visiting assistant professor at a university in Ohio. My contract expires in May 2018, so I've been frantically applying to any type of academic job opening in my field (specifically complex analysis) to commence in August of 2018. I have heard nothing from any of the colleges I've applied to. I have a decent amount of research work (3 published papers so far) considering I'm a new Ph.D, however, no interviews. Is complex analysis very unpopular now or am I missing something?

 

[Dr. Courtney]

Even though applications are often due in the Fall, in many of the cases where I applied for jobs, I did not hear anything or be asked for interviews until the late Winter or Spring.

You should also broaden the scope of your search and begin applying for math teaching positions at community colleges and universities with more of a teaching than a research focus. A lot of those job ads will just be appearing about now and will continue to appear until March or April.

 

[mathprof]

Thank you! I have applied to many teaching schools. But as a new Ph.D I have very little experience teaching compared to other applicants.

 

[Dr. Courtney]

Thank you! I have applied to many teaching schools. But as a new Ph.D I have very little experience teaching compared to other applicants.

I made sure to get plenty of TA and tutoring experience in grad school, thinking it might go that way, and it did. But you must be teaching now, so you have at least a year of experience. If needed, add another course or two to your spring teaching load.

In addition to math faculty, most of the larger schools now have at least one tutoring center. These tend to be dominated by students coming for help in math, chemistry, and physics (usually in that order). Many of these tutoring centers hire full time tutors and use a combination of full time adult labor AND skillful student labor to provide for student needs. These jobs are probably not what you would want to make a career out of, but landing one would be a way to gain more teaching experience as a stepping stone to tenure track faculty positions at teaching-focussed schools.

I served as a math prof and the director of the tutoring center at the Air Force Academy, and my (student) son has been a student tutor at two different big state schools, so I've gotten to see and hear how those work also. These tutoring facilities are often lacking talented understanding of the material, and a math PhD and a year of teaching experience would likely get their attention. But it takes a bit more shoe leather and sleuthing to find them. I'd track down all the tutoring centers on the campuses of interest and contact them directly. Don't wait to see a job ad. Assume they need your skill and move forward.

 

[jtbell]

When did you apply, get interviewed, etc. for your current position? For normal academic-year positions, in my experience (albeit in physics, not math, and at small colleges), interviews were always after New Year, sometimes in January, but typically February and even as late as March.

Have application deadlines even passed yet, for the positions you've applied to?