Independent researcher
What is an independent researcher?
Independent
In one sense, independent is somewhat obvious: I'm not affiliated with any organization, be it an academic institution or a company. Rather, I pursue research independently.
In another sense, it implies that my funding is independently. Another way to say it would be "community-supported." While my funding is not currently supported by the community, I hope to move towards that funding model in the future.
Why research independently? It's a hassle, truthfully. The primary reason is freedom of inquiry: the ability to follow my intellectual nose wherever it may take me. That may mean deeply exploring and publishing about some aspect of the future of computing. It may mean partnering with different organizations who are building the future. It might mean playing with new tools, building elaborate virtual reality setups, who knows?
Research
Resources
Nadia Eghbal Asparouhova's article Independent Research