Harvard Exchange

Harvard University did not offer me a job, for one good reason.

This year I looked for faculty positions. I sent my application to Harvard University. It lead to the following exchange of letters.

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Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology
Harvard University

Dear Members of the Search Committee:

Please consider my application for the junior faculty position in Physical Chemistry advertised by your department in C&E News. I have enclosed with this letter my curriculum vitae, a list of my publications and patents, and a statement of my research interests.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Huafeng Xu

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Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology

Harvard University

Dear Dr. Huafeng Xu,

Thank you for your application for our assistant professorship in Organic Chemistry. We have received a very large number of excellent applications this year and can only interview a few candidates.

Unfortunately, the Department is not in a position to offer you an assistant professorship at this time.

Our best wishes for your future plans.

Sincerely,

Akira R. Shave

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Dear Dr. Shave,

I recently received a letter from you which stated to the effect that your department was not in a position to offer me an assistant professorship in organic chemistry. I am writing to assure you that the regret in your letter is completely unjustified and unnecessary.

Harvard is not the only school that is not in a position to offer me a job in organic chemistry. No institution on this planet is: I am not even an organic chemist! Sure, I took organic chemistry in college, and spent some time making pheromones in an organic lab. But that's it. I have not been near any toxic chemicals since graduate school. Consequently, I have decided to accept an offer in computational chemistry from another institution, and continue my chemical-free career.

I wish you success in identifying the best organic chemist in the world.

Sincerely Yours,

Huafeng