The Shape of Things to Come

7 minute read. I've gotten this moniker from a number of sources over the years and at this point in my life/career I'm willing to embrace it. How did I become a crusher of dreams? I might say it's because I value skepticism and the hard truths of physics. My wife would say it's because I'm not very agreeable . Really, I was set on this path in grad school. I would never recommend getting a PhD to anyone - if you need a recommendation, you're not in love with it enough to endure it. First you need an advisor, who is expected to be 1) brilliant in their field, 2) an excellent lab manager, 3) good enough at writing grants to keep everyone paid, and 4) ideally a decent teacher. I have no idea why universities expect to have all of these criteria met by a single person, much less every professor they tenure. The tragic stories of most grad students show how often 2) and even 3) cannot be taken for granted.  The biggest academic challenge is not the qualifying exam o...