I feel your pain. So much is due to your own placement. In
watching those John Ellis lectures at one point he mentioned
young Russian undergrads, 19-20 yrs old, who didn't get the
recognition they deserved because the higher ups thought nothing
that good could come out of someone so young. Same age + rank
prejudice happens today in every field. Too young, too old, not
an official - many barriers, not enough of the right ears
listening broadly and specifically for the signal.