As a math grad student, I really feel you on the crickets thing. My research is some obscure application of agebraic topology to general relativity. Over the y

As a math grad student, I really feel you on the crickets thing. My research is some obscure application of agebraic topology to general relativity. Over the years I've played with all kinds of ways to relate what I do to people. These days I kind of feel that the storytelling is more important than accurately describing my research. So instead of answering with some compact three-sentence explanation, I'll take the opportunity to start telling stories about space and the mysteries of the universe. I'm not sure people walk away with an understanding of what I do in any useful sense, but the conversations are often fun and I feel like they at least understand how I feel about my research. FWIW, you job sounds pretty badass to me. :)