The largest pitfall in my mind for long-term independent researchers is oneās research becoming detached from the actual concerns of a field and thereby producing negligible value. Tegan seems to have avoided this pitfall so far, thanks to her research judgment and understanding of the relevant areas, and I see no evidence that sheās headed towards it in the future.
Another potential pitfall of independent research is a general lack of feedback loops, both for specific research projects and for the individualās research skills. One way that independent researchers may be able to produce stronger feedback loops for their work is by sharing more intermediate work. While Tegan has shared (and received feedback from) some senior longtermist researchers on some of her intermediate work, I think she would probably benefit from sharing intermediate work more broadly, such as on the EA forum.
Finally, independent research can struggle to get as much traction as other work (keeping quality constant), as itās less likely to be connected to organizations or networks where it will naturally be passed around. My sense is that Teganās research hasnāt gotten as much attention as it ādeservesā given its level of quality, and that many who would find value in the research arenāt aware of it. Fixing such a dynamic generally requires a more active promotion strategy from the researcher. Again, I think posting more intermediate work could help here, as it would create more instances where others see the work, learn about what the researcher is working on, and perhaps even offer feedback.
Some text from the latest LTFF report that could be drawn on when discussing advantages and disadvantages within this entry:
Looks good, thanks!