Ask Hillbert

Hillbert is a collective moniker for MotherFunctor’s staff, who will author a column answering general queries from readers, and sharing general tips about campus activism. (For questions and advice about specific cases and issues, please see our Services section.)

We can tell MF readers what worked, and what did not work – most did not, but there were dramatic exceptions - and what to expect if one tries. We intend this column to be reader-driven, so ask away!

Note: The name “Hillbert” was suggested by a Georgia Tech colleague, who, for fear of retaliation by the Administration, wishes to remain anonymous. The play on words, intended by our colleague to be humorous, is based on implicit allusions to

Dilbert (and his friends Dogbert, Catbert, Ratbert, etc [http://www.dilbert.com/]), the famous cartoon office worker who has repeatedly questioned the authority of his intellectually-challenged, pointy-haired boss.

And of course to Hilbert (David Hilbert [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hilbert]) the famous German mathematician who questioned the authority of the elite University of Gőttingen Senate in proposing that a woman (future mathematical superstar Emmy Noether) be given a professorial position among the all-male faculty.