simardcasanova’s avatarsimardcasanova’s Twitter Archive—№ 10,952

            1. There is this belief in economics, I think widespread, that if you’re not in a top institution, it’s because somehow you’re not good enough. You’re not good enough with math, you’re not good enough with econometrics, with this, or that. That’s non-sense. 1/n
              Permalink simardcasanova’s avatar ♻️ 203 Retweets ❤️ 750 Favorites Mood -7 🙁
          1. …in reply to @simardcasanova
            Rare, or even non-existent, are the people who are skilled in *everything*. It’s normal to not be good at everything. But for people in non-top institutions, they often interpret this as a proof they are not good enough-period. 2/n
            Permalink simardcasanova’s avatar ♻️ 8 Retweets ❤️ 73 Favorites Mood 0
        1. …in reply to @simardcasanova
          Because here’s the thing, a trend I’ve noticed in the non-top institutions where I navigate since the beginning of my PhD: self-censorship. I’ve met so many brillant and talented people who have such a low opinion of themselves (academically speaking). 3/n
          Permalink simardcasanova’s avatar ♻️ 11 Retweets ❤️ 103 Favorites Mood 0
      1. …in reply to @simardcasanova
        When I’ve discussed this with them, the answer is invariably the same: « if I were that great, I wouldn’t be in a non-top institution ». But there’s a logical flaw in the reasoning, probably also made by people at top institutions. 4/n
        Permalink simardcasanova’s avatar ♻️ 6 Retweets ❤️ 58 Favorites Mood +3 🙂
    1. …in reply to @simardcasanova
      Maybe top institutions have a higher chance to attract talented people. That’s likely. But it does not mean that all talented people are necessarily in top institutions. Some sort of fallacy of composition at play here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallacy_of_composition?wprov=sfti1 5/n
      Permalink simardcasanova’s avatar ♻️ 9 Retweets ❤️ 94 Favorites Mood +7 🙂
  1. …in reply to @simardcasanova
    The problem is that talented people at non top institutions are an asset for the field - for any field, actually. Good ideas can come from everywhere. And any field benefits from having a large flow of good ideas. 6/n
    simardcasanova’s avatar ♻️ 8 Retweets ❤️ 123 Favorites Mood +6 🙂
    1. …in reply to @simardcasanova
      As a PhD in a non-top institution, if tomorrow I have a genius idea, I would probably not even *try* to publish it in a top journal. Or anywhere, btw, because I’m so disappointed by econ academia that I’ve decided to leave the field. 7/n
      Permalink simardcasanova’s avatar ♻️ 8 Retweets ❤️ 94 Favorites Mood -1 🙁
      1. …in reply to @simardcasanova
        *PhD student (Don’t write deep Twitter thread at midnight after a long day of work)
        Permalink simardcasanova’s avatar ❤️ 1 Favorite Mood 0
      2. …in reply to @simardcasanova
        The reason I wouldn’t even try is because I don’t have the network. I don’t know the editors, I don’t know the right people. And if I publish it in a lower ranked journal, it won’t be noticed. It’s a race I have no chance to win. Zero. Nada. Winning it is not playing it. 8/n
        Permalink simardcasanova’s avatar ♻️ 9 Retweets ❤️ 109 Favorites Mood +9 🙂
        1. …in reply to @simardcasanova
          It’s so gross that I’ve noticed first hand papers getting rejected in journals because they are too close to papers that PhD students of some high profile researchers are *about to submit*. Yeah, you read it correctly. And I’m talking of a top journal. Is this science? 9/n
          Permalink simardcasanova’s avatar ♻️ 25 Retweets ❤️ 182 Favorites Mood 0
          1. …in reply to @simardcasanova
            This thread is half about general observations, half about myself (sorry). I’ve got prizes during my PhD, people with really long resumes ready to write recommendation letters. I even managed to get fundings! I interpret all of this as a signal of some sort of competence. 10/n
            Permalink simardcasanova’s avatar ♻️ 3 Retweets ❤️ 52 Favorites Mood -1 🙁
            1. …in reply to @simardcasanova
              But I feel unheard. My voice can’t reach anyone. No matter what I’m saying. Because, yeah, I’m not (and will never be) in a top institution. Even at my own research center, some have said *publicly* « we should hire more promising PhD students ». Thanks for trusting us… 11/n
              Permalink simardcasanova’s avatar ♻️ 4 Retweets ❤️ 83 Favorites Mood +6 🙂
              1. …in reply to @simardcasanova
                It’s so bad that literally 15 days after the beginning of my PhD, I’ve been told by someone who should have been much more supportive that I can only « expect a mediocre career ». Thanks for giving me a chance. And: hello, self-fulfilling prophecies… 12/n
                Permalink simardcasanova’s avatar ♻️ 5 Retweets ❤️ 82 Favorites Mood +3 🙂
                1. …in reply to @simardcasanova
                  I know what I’m capable of. I know how hard I’ve worked, despite all the negativity, and the lack of trust. I know my leadership skills. And the rest. I could definitely help economics, even modestly. I have no expectations for a Nobel (lol). I just want to be useful. 13/n
                  Permalink simardcasanova’s avatar ♻️ 2 Retweets ❤️ 76 Favorites Mood +5 🙂
                  1. …in reply to @simardcasanova
                    I won’t be useful. Because, again, I’m so disappointed that I’ve decided to leave. And how many like me also left, and are now getting paid to use their skills outside academia? Probably a lot. 14/n
                    Permalink simardcasanova’s avatar ♻️ 4 Retweets ❤️ 63 Favorites Mood +1 🙂
                    1. …in reply to @simardcasanova
                      And it’s not that I fear competition, or that there are not enough academic jobs. Sure, we wouldn’t mind more. And I can fight. I just don’t understand why I should fight so hard to, at the end, not being heard because, you know, I’m not from a non-top institution. 15/n
                      Permalink simardcasanova’s avatar ♻️ 4 Retweets ❤️ 43 Favorites Mood -5 🙁
                      1. …in reply to @simardcasanova
                        I will sure miss economics, especially now that I’m discovering more and more of the good sides (and marvelous people) of #EconTwitter. I will undoubtedly have a hard time adjusting. But I’m ready to swallow the pill, and transition. I’ve known so much worse. 16/n
                        Permalink simardcasanova’s avatar ♻️ 3 Retweets ❤️ 55 Favorites Mood 0
                        1. …in reply to @simardcasanova
                          So at the end, economics would probably benefit to give a larger place to its talented people who are not in top-institutions. But I don’t think it will happen, unfortunately. And that makes me really sad for our science. 17/17
                          Permalink simardcasanova’s avatar ♻️ 4 Retweets ❤️ 65 Favorites Mood 0
                          1. …in reply to @simardcasanova
                            Addendum: thriving in non-top institution probably requires a different set of skills that thriving in top institutions. Tenacity, lateral thinking, initiative, endurance. Those skills are too often wiped out from our field. And maybe it would be better off with them onboard…
                            Permalink simardcasanova’s avatar ♻️ 6 Retweets ❤️ 129 Favorites Mood +4 🙂