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?
A huge part (maybe the most important one) of academic work, is to argue why your ideas are worth listening to and discuss and present them. This is not the same as writing fiction where you can just use a pseudonym, people will be looking you up to see what kind of educational background you have, which university you got the PhD from etc. No place worth having a PhD from is going to let you use a pseudonym, let alone hire you under a different name than your legal name.
I’m sorry, but if using your real name is a deal breaker for you, even with an employer (I.e. the professor example you’re giving), you’re very unlikely to succeed with this.