this post was submitted on 17 Jul 2024
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Privacy

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Hi everyone,

I've been checking this forum but I have not managed to find duplicates (I'm using Summit for Lemmy). If that's the case I'll remove this post.

I'm about to start a PhD. I've been told I will be required to partake in publications and other shenanigans. I am not against it, but I'm very concerned about having my full name flying around the internet, as I've always been hesitant of sharing any of that information (real name, pictures, etc).

Ultimately, I only care for potential employers to know that it's actually me the one who has written this or that, which I would happily disclose in private.

What's the usual stance in this situation?

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[–] [email protected] 59 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (9 children)

Part of being an academic is being available to discuss your publications. Your full name will not only be flying around the internet but recorded permanently in libraries and journals.

Science is about collaboration, and standing behind the work you do, publicly. You will find it extremely difficult or impossible to get your PhD without being known to the academic community.

I think you won't find many anonymous scientific papers held in high regard.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (5 children)

Another commenter mentioned going by a pseudonym, which is pretty much what I had in mind - I've always been grown up on the idea of not disclosing your full name nor your physical location, but many universities' websites not only shows the full names of their profs, but also their coordinates and their office hours.

There's a publicly available record of where and when someone is readily present, for better and, especially when it comes to preserving one's safety, for worse.

Let me make this point clearer: would you publicly disclose where you live or where you spend most of your time? I hope you see some of my concerns now.

I trust this is the right place to find like minded people and maybe find a solution, not to argue about what an academic should or should not be.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago

I understand the concerns of privacy, but working in academia means that you give up some of the privacy.

Yes people will have your real name and they will know what college you work at and if some crazy person decides that they want to stalk you on campus because you're woke or part of the deep state turning the frogs gay with chemicals they'll be able to easily do that.

You're gonna have 100s of strangers in your classes during the year. You're going to tell them exactly when you're going to be in your office for office hours.

If you are unable to handle that I doubt academia is for you.

Academia is about furthering human knowledge especially a PhD. There are sacrifices involved; your privacy is probably one of them.

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