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Comment by marai2 | Hacker News Reader

Since we regularly get comments on HN about people wanting to study math in some capacity and about the challenges in doing so - I thought this was a really quote from this video:

Jinyoung (after having been a secondary school Math teacher for 7 years):

"... there was a big obstacle in studying mathematics or pursuing my career in mathematics, which was me, myself. Because I just couldn't stop thinking that oh I'm too old and I started too late or I didn't learn enough amount of mathematics in college ..."

and now here she is with some world class work to her name.

View on HN

From the link:

"Jinyoung is a first-generation college graduate, and after seven years as a secondary school teacher in South Korea, she went on to earn a mathematics Ph.D. from Rutgers University. Jinyoung’s story demonstrates the importance of role models at all levels of one’s education and the fact that it is never too late to begin anew."

And yet people will shit on DEI efforts. Incorporating more folks into the scientific endeavor helps combat things like stagnation in science precisely because it reduces academic incest.

DEI efforts discriminate against Asians like Jinyoung, so yes, I will shit on them.

Not. Necessarily, given that DEI efforts are not one-dimensional. They consider factors like first-generation, geneder, class background, etc.

(I am an Asian male, so I really have nothing to selfishly benefit from promoting DEI efforts)

Well, one problem when discussing DEI is there are many implementations of it. My own own departments only considers race or gender, and really only focuses on gender. Although I know many DEI programs really do take a more holistic view of what diversity means.

That was not the topic of OP's post or this really.

I am back in graduate school at 31 after a few years working and I also wondered if I was too old to go back. It is definitely possible if you have the drive to do it. I can say it is both easier and harder than my first time around. My drive to succeed is much higher, my focus is sharper, but my overall energy and free time budgets are more limited (kids). I would recommend if one can and wants to do it.

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