[Topolomancer]

Thank you.

I come from a non-academic background myself (although being born in Europe certainly simplified things...I am mentoring students from India, for instance, and was shocked to learn about the high cost of even applying somewhere---but that's a different story), and have the feeling that academia is closed off against these sort of backgrounds. Despite academics trying very hard to think of themselves as being 'heterodox' and 'challenging the status quo,' most just follow along with the system. I don't want to assume a self-aggrandising position and believe that I alone can change the system, but maybe I can point out some issues at least...

(and thanks a lot for your kind words!)