His research on ice formation was cited by the Nobel Committee when it announced the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics as an example of the scientific application of machine learning.
Weiss initially sent out a flood of applications targeting research positions at pharmaceutical companies and prestigious postdoctoral fellowships at national laboratories, but most went unanswered — with only the occasional rejection notice arriving in return.
He broadened his search across industries and regions, yet frequently could not even secure an interview. He eventually applied for a food preparation role at a company that sells frozen crab cakes, and never heard back at all.
Hoping his alumni network might help, he reached out by phone to graduates of both Princeton and Rice, but ultimately got little more than advice to check the companies’ job postings online.
In January this year, he took a part-time gig at a startup that trains AI professionals, earning $70 an hour.
At first his hours varied — sometimes 20 a week, sometimes as few as four — but idle days grew more frequent, stretching into weeks with no work at all. In mid-March, he learned his contract had been terminated through a group chat message.
This story was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, but it’s behind a paywall.