For the past three years, I've been working full time as an independent AI researcher, focused on an alternative neural network architecture. My efforts ate through my savings and culminated in securing a Vising Researcher position at a prestigious university in California, which I'm proud of given that I only hold a bachelor's thus far. While trying to secure a high paying scholarship and the required US visa, the COVID-19 crisis hits.
Now, even though I retain supreme confidence in its potential, my work does not seem timely or prudent; it's unclear when the school, funding agency, and embassy will resume service; and I also need money to replenish my coffers. I want to contribute more directly to the virus-borne crisis that is affecting us all. Feeling useless sucks.
How many of you are in the same boat? Have you had to abandon a project or a path for financial reasons or to work on the crisis? How have you managed or what new work are you pursuing?
I'm struggling with the massive context switch, both emotionally and with my day to day routine and work output. I'm sure many others, especially HN readers, are having similar challenges. Maybe some solidarity will help!
I went to a meditation retreat in December and formed a bond with the teacher. He reached out to me a week ago to create a relief project for COVID-19. I worked all weekend on it from thinking of a name, creating a logo, building a website, setting up donation system, setting up social media, creating a campaign. He had another person work on outreach to hospitals, collecting data for the shipments of masks.
We have raised over $250k from almost 2000 donors in just 4 days. I may have a contact at the NYT now as well based on my reddit posts. here is the site: https://dharmarelief.org/
This is just a small project compared the things I am working on in 'secret'. I've been researching and developing something that goes beyond social media for 10 years now. I feel it's time to release it. I have been training as a monk in this time, so I am ready to lead it as well. The world is hungry for what I am building, I am not afraid anymore of being laughed at or rejected. I've been through hell and back without ever letting go of this vision.