The research frontier is more interdisciplinary than students think, alz_zyd_ argues in math culture debate

littmath · x · 2026-09-22

alzzyd clarifies he means 'interdisciplinary' rather than 'useful': the frontier is more interdisciplinary than undergrads realize, and there's a strange disconnect between frontier research and students' impressions. Earlier, littmath had noted many mathematicians aren't primarily motivated by usefulness — work that's 'useful for physics' isn't the same as 'useful for the consumer.'

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