PhDable and World-class

To be potentially world-class implies you have to be at least PhDable. The converse is not necessarily true. Technically, a necessary but not sufficient condition to be a PhDable is to be accepted in the doctoral program of the (Math) department (of UPD).

There are 3 types of PhDables :

You are PhDable if you have a teaching load of 10-15 units, academic load of 6-12 units, rakets even during weekends, and friends who have complete notes (including past problem sets with solutions) in the graduate subjects you are enrolled in every semester.

You are definitely PhDable if you are PhDable and know how to properly use CLEARLY, TRIVIAL and OBVIOUS in any proof.

You are super PhDable if you are definitely PhDable and have the convincing power to :
a. extend a problem set due date,
b. postpone the date of an exam, and/or
c. change a sit-down exam into a take-home exam!


Likewise, THE world-class consist of 3 types:

You are world-class if you’ve accomplished your PhD dissertation, especially your doctoral degree outside of the country on or before your 30th birthday.

You are definitely world-class if you are world-class and have published at least 2 articles in ISI publications at the time of your official graduation from the doctoral program.

You are super world-class if you are definitely world-class and recipient of “Pinakamahusay na Instructor, Assist/Assoc Professor o Professor”,“ Distinguished New (Young) Scientist of the Year”, “Best (Scientific) Publication of the Year” and/or other (academic-related)awards...

The super world-class who continue to publish in ISI publications at least once a year (or once in 2 yrs ?) belong to THE Power Group.

The Power Group can train you to be super PhDable, help you become world-class and eventually, one of them. It is easy to spot the members of the Power Group around the (Math) building. They are not intimidating and are very approachable (at least for me and my mafia) even for a stick of yosi. =)

However, being a super PhDable does not guarantee an ISI publication. You need to have the guidance of at least a definitely world-class be able to accomplish this. Some of these super PhDables refused to be world-class even if they can and they have the support of the (entire) Power Group.

Others simply cannot be world-class no matter how hard they've tried.

I am one of them…It is liberating to finally admit that I am officially part of the "others".

Buh-bye PhD.