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I am a PhD physics/applied mathematics student, and I was wondering how competitive academia is in these subjects. The area of research is in biophysics/statistical mechanics/mathematical modelling by the way.

I've heard of so many stories saying how ridiculously competitive academia is, which makes me think that perhaps I won't make it. How likely is it for a student like me to land a post-doc position for instance? Assuming I get a few papers sorted throughout the next 3 years, attend conferences and do some teaching on the side.

Thank you

Alex B.
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Tom Conway
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    There is no way for anyone to answer your question. Yes, it is competitive. But there is no "from 1 to 10" scale to say how competitive exactly, and of course there is no way for us to say what the chances for you personally are to get a position. – Wolfgang Bangerth Nov 10 '21 at 02:23
  • related...not specific to the UK, though I don't imagine the situation in the UK is that much different than in the rest of the western countries. – cag51 Nov 10 '21 at 02:45
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    I'm entering second year postdoc in theoretical condensed matter physics/quantum optics. Finished my PhD in continental Europe in the normal timespan. Not the most fancy fellowships, didn't win any awards or so. Published a few good quality papers , though not in super high-end journals, and did an exchange during my PhD. Found an exciting postdoc opportunity on the other side of the world, without too much effort, in a higher ranking uni and it has proven to be a very rewarding decision also for personal life. It's all about the journey. Worth it even if it doesn't lead to tenure. – Wouter Nov 10 '21 at 07:53

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It is impossible to give any definite answer, since there are too many variables involved and they are changing all the time. Predicting three years in advance is pretty hard in any situation. We hope we are at the tail end of the pandemic, but hope won't make it go away.

But, the more you do and the more you accomplish, the better your chances of an academic career. You may, however, need to make compromises of various sorts to stay in academia.

One place to get a general idea is to ask at your own institution what has happened to recent graduates and what did they do/accomplish to get to where they are.

In three years a lot of students might show up in your field, increasing faculty demand. Or, they might all disappear into some other field, or disappear altogether, as happened to me.

But yes, papers are good. Teaching is good. Building a circle of collaboration through joint papers and conferences is good. If you cast a wide net for employment then you are more likely to catch something. Don't ignore any viable options.

And, applied math gives you some pretty general skills so that you will have a career, even if it is a bit different from the one you set out to achieve.

Buffy
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