I need career advice(is physics my true calling) ?

[Elle]

This is a differently worded repost from another subforum, because I thought it didn't get many replies as compared to other threads.

So, basically, I grew up till grade 10 with a very idealized view of physics(from popular science books about black holes and stuff) which had probably got me thinking I want to do theoretical physics for the rest of my life.

Important concerns here:

1) After high school, I started reading the physics UG books which I had collected - I am seeing that there are too many areas of physics I do not enjoy learning about. Only the universe-related stuff I saw on TV fascinated me, and later I developed a fascination for QM and general relativity(books).

2)I have no idea what actually being a theoretical physicist would be like(especially being a professor could be stressful because I have a hearing and a speech impairment)

3)I have a desire to travel to many places and settle abroad - which would be difficult.


Inspite of the arguments I give myself, I feel scared/emotional and this causes me to worry that I am ignoring my true calling. maybe it's because I have been attached to the subject for too long? The other subject I'm quite interested in is CS.

 

[ProxyAmenRa]

You would be looking at a 4 bachelors, 2 year masters and a 3 to 5 year PhD to become qualified to research/lecture/teach physics at a university. After you are qualified you will find that the field is an extremely competitive one. You will up against the best and brightest in the world for a job. This is exacerbated by the economic downturn and the reduction in funds for governments pay for positions.

If you get a job, you will experience the publish or perish meat grinder. It does not matter how great of a discovery you are trying to make or what knowledge you are contributing to science. If you are not publishing at least four journal papers per year, you will get fired. Teaching at the same time adds more pressure as students know if they fail you are the guy who gets in trouble because universities are businesses and you must keep the customer happy. The students whom purposely fail due to doing no work aim to make your life hell.

It is expected of you to speak to attend conferences and network without any funding from the university. Yeah, go figure that one out.

You can save your job if you manage to secure external grant money. Universities love it when other institutions pay for your employment. The easiest way to attain grant money is by somehow linking your research to the hot topic on the left side of politics of the day. Those climate change researchers are rolling around in dough and they produce piss poor research. In this circumstance the university will not fire you regardless of the amount of bad students you fail and how little journal papers you produce.

In the end you will quit university and be another Physics PhD writing high frequency trading algorithms for financial institutions.

Some people call me cynical. ^_^

 

[ProxyAmenRa]

But for the love of physics:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdZMXWmlp9g

 

[Elle]

You would be looking at a 4 bachelors, 2 year masters and a 3 to 5 year PhD to become qualified to research/lecture/teach physics at a university. After you are qualified you will find that the field is an extremely competitive one. You will up against the best and brightest in the world for a job. This is exacerbated by the economic downturn and the reduction in funds for governments pay for positions.

If you get a job, you will experience the publish or perish meat grinder. It does not matter how great of a discovery you are trying to make or what knowledge you are contributing to science. If you are not publishing at least four journal papers per year, you will get fired. Teaching at the same time adds more pressure as students know if they fail you are the guy who gets in trouble because universities are businesses and you must keep the customer happy. The students whom purposely fail due to doing no work aim to make your life hell.

It is expected of you to speak to attend conferences and network without any funding from the university. Yeah, go figure that one out.

You can save your job if you manage to secure external grant money. Universities love it when other institutions pay for your employment. The easiest way to attain grant money is by somehow linking your research to the hot topic on the left side of politics of the day. Those climate change researchers are rolling around in dough and they produce piss poor research. In this circumstance the university will not fire you regardless of the amount of bad students you fail and how little journal papers you produce.

In the end you will quit university and be another Physics PhD writing high frequency trading algorithms for financial institutions.

Some people call me cynical. ^_^

Thanks for the detailed views, ProxyamenRa.
I can live with many of them if I enjoy physics really much but I'm not sure if that'd be the case after a few years. I do not consider being rich as one of my goals, but I fear that may change in a few years. If I had the opportunity to take a double major, I'd have taken it.

 

[Architect]

So, basically, I grew up till grade 10 with a very idealized view of physics(from popular science books about black holes and stuff) which had probably got me thinking I want to do theoretical physics for the rest of my life.

Same here, except the influence was Robert Heinlein, a Sci Fi author. He didn't have a STEM education so seemingly idolized scientists and mathematicians; it rubbed off. So I got a Physics undergrad and was accepted to a top five grad program with a focus on QM and GR, but I was in particle physics.

1) After high school, I started reading the physics UG books which I had collected - I am seeing that there are too many areas of physics I do not enjoy learning about. Only the universe-related stuff I saw on TV fascinated me, and later I developed a fascination for QM and general relativity(books).

Not good. The actual work of physicists is generally far from that.

2)I have no idea what actually being a theoretical physicist would be like(especially being a professor could be stressful because I have a hearing and a speech impairment)

Not good. Becoming a theoretical physicist is extremely unlikely, it's highly competitive. Basically if you don't already have a NSF grant (or the equivalent for your country) by the time you graduate from High School then forget it. The hearing/speech will cause many difficulties.

3)I have a desire to travel to many places and settle abroad - which would be difficult.

OK, plenty of ways to travel, or not as you choose.

Inspite of the arguments I give myself, I feel scared/emotional and this causes me to worry that I am ignoring my true calling. maybe it's because I have been attached to the subject for too long? The other subject I'm quite interested in is CS.

A strong desire to do something in the idealistic sense isn't a true calling, it's usually an inferior grip or other influence. Our actual true callings are hard to see because they look so ordinary. That's why they're true callings, we aren't so interested in what we are, but what we think we can become.

I don't think you have the chops for it and I'd recommend finding yourself first, before following an idealized view that doesn't exist. Proxy describes an accurate view of the field, one that most of them in it share. Working physicists are a cynical bunch, no wonder when they see punks get a crummy 4 year CS degree and make way more bank.

 

[ENTP lurker]

I think objective is the most important along side with future occupation.
Theoretical physicist. I think studying process interesting. If you go towards theoretical you are going to need lots of mathematics to back it up. To make it more complicated and make yourself more employable I suggest lots of computer science on a side. That is the normal path.

It is rather paradoxical that in order to get good overall grasp in natural sciences as a whole I (myself) chose to study chemistry minoring in biochemistry, physics, environmental sciences and mathematics.

Here where I live there are trained physicists working as storage and construction workers... That is a huge waste of education.

 

[Ex-User (8886)]

I was on CS and moved to physics. My friend intp is also on physics. I see many intps here. It's more interesting than CS.

Choose physics and be programmer.

 

[Urakro]

This probably should go in the out of context thread.

Sometimes I look at people's professions and wonder what got them there. For instance, with a foot doctor I start wondering when this guy decided he wanted to make that his living. Could he be that passionate about feet? Or taking an example of a human resources representative, did he/she have a life-long calling to be such? Do people dream of being immigration officers, or street-cleaners?

From this point, I'm just going to be speculative based on something I may have observed where I am and reflected on. What I've realized is somewhat of a dream crasher, but I really don't like or have any intention to see people's dreams crushed. For sure there is firemen, scientists, researchers and astronauts. You could really be the next thing that happened in the field of physics. But I'm guessing we all contend to this reality where little is really guaranteed, and not many things are fair. From what I've seen, big expectations get demolished into the ground very easily. The most optimal way to get through is to keep a watchful eye for good (but may still be less than best) opportunities and give them a try. A billion opportunities happen in a day, but that all depends on how specific or narrow your search criteria is.

I've seen this meme go around on a social networking site. It featured a cartoon of a rhinoceros with clear self-image issues as he frantically ran on a treadmill gazing at a poster of a beautiful white unicorn with wings. It was captioned "Never let go of your dreams! :-D " It made me sad, and a bit disappointed in the misrepresentation of it's intended point. I'm all for settings goals and dreaming of what could be, but I think it's best to be sure they are realistic, with an actual workable plan that has good chances of being achieved. Otherwise, you'll set yourself up for depression.