I'm not the parent, but:
card-carrying means "thorough" or "avidly devoted to a group", so I take this phrase to mean that he is very non-academic, especially compared to those in his social group, who are relatively much more academic than he is.
card-carrying means "thorough" or "avidly devoted to a group", so I take this phrase to mean that he is very non-academic, especially compared to those in his social group, who are relatively much more academic than he is.
"circles" above is mostly the life science modeling, simulation and informatics community