Postdoctoral Position in Higher Category Theory at Johns Hopkins University
Posted by Emily Riehl
The Department of Mathematics at Johns Hopkins University solicits applications for one two-year postdoctoral fellowship beginning Summer 2021 (with some flexibility in the start and end dates). The position is funded by the Army Research Office (ARO) through the Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) program. This position is open to anyone who is able to obtain a visa to come and work in the US, but it is necessary to be physically in the US to receive funding from this grant. (Johns Hopkins will sponsor and pay for a visa application, if required.)
The -Category Café has recently hosted a lively discussion on the ethics of military funded mathematics and US military funding in particular. This is the first time I’ve collaborated on a military funded grant, so I have limited experience in this area. But every year, I’m heartbroken to disappoint the dozens of highly-qualified postdoctoral applicants I come in contact with. My department also offers university-funded postdoctoral positions (though one could argue that military funding provides some support for all employees at Johns Hopkins) but at some point I calculated that it would be “my turn” to make an offer to my first choice candidate exactly once a decade, and I wanted to try to find a way to hire others in the meanwhile.
The postdoctoral position is funded by the grant “Toward Mathematical Intelligence and Certifiable Automated Reasoning: From Theoretical Foundations to Experimental Realization,” a collaborative project with Arthur Jaffe (lead), Mikhail Lukin, and Zhenghan Wang. I hope the postdoc will be interested in collaborating with me or my students, as well as with other members of the MURI team. In addition, the candidate will teach two courses in the mathematics department per academic year and receive mentoring in all aspects of professional development.
Applications are encouraged from candidates working in areas broadly related to higher category theory or homotopy type theory, especially as pertains to quantum logic or quantum field theory.
Applications may be submitted online on mathjobs. The mathjobs post asks for a a cover letter of one to two pages discussing your interests relating to and prior experience with higher category theory, homotopy type theory, and/or quantum mechanics, the standard AMS cover sheet, curriculum vitae, and research and teaching statements, accompanied by up to four letters of recommendation, one of which addresses teaching.
The cover letter is meant to convey suitability for this particular position, as opposed to one that is open to all research areas, so in a sense, this is the document that is the most important (especially if you are new to the field). In particular, if you do not have the other documents already prepared, please feel free to submit your application without them. (The teaching statement and teaching letter will be required eventually by all candidates nominated for the short list.)
Applications received by March 18, 2021 will be given priority (but this is a soft deadline). Please send me an email to alert me to your application once it is in.
Importantly, Johns Hopkins University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer of women, minorities, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities, and encourages applications from members of these and other protected groups. We are committed to conducting a broad and inclusive search for a candidate who will contribute to the diversity and excellence of the JHU community. Consistent with the University’s goals of achieving excellence in all areas, we will assess the comprehensive qualifications of each applicant.