What No One Tells You About Academia

Описание: What is it really like to be a professor?

In this Academia AMA, I answer questions from a PhD student about the realities of academic life — not the brochure version. We talk honestly about:

• How I accidentally became a professor
• Industry vs academia tradeoffs
• Salary expectations (real numbers)
• Tenure, grants, and job security
• Work–life balance with a family
• Travel, sabbaticals, and flexibility
• Starting companies while faculty
• Politics in academia
• Whether tenure still makes sense
• And whether I’m actually happy doing this job

If you’re considering grad school, a postdoc, or a faculty career — this is the candid version I wish someone had given me.

Drop your questions in the comments and I’ll include them in the next AMA.

⏱ Timestamps (short labels)

00:00 Intro & why this AMA
00:39 When I decided to be a professor
03:29 Industry vs academia tradeoffs
04:50 Spouse & family perspective
07:52 Professor salary reality
12:28 Summer pay & sabbaticals
16:21 Work–life balance truth
19:47 Hobbies, travel & making time
23:14 Delegation & managing students
24:46 What my weekly calendar looks like
27:35 Pre-tenure vs now workload
28:48 Boundaries & evenings/weekends
29:58 Sleep & daily family time
32:20 Early career stress & learning curve
36:09 Travel perks (and downsides)
38:52 Grant rejection reality
41:11 Hidden benefits of academia
43:05 Academic politics & conflict
45:28 Thoughts on tenure today
49:34 Consulting & entrepreneurship
54:08 Am I actually happy?