/sci/ - Science & Math

Bumping for also interest

I'm a physics major and I love it.

>Do you enjoy what you do, is it fun?
This is a pointless question. You should understand why.
>Preference between theoretical and experimental physics?
My preferences don't matter. People go where they must.
>What do you get paid and do you care if it is small?
It's science. The real payment is not monetary.
>How did you become a Physicist?
A fascination with the world at a level I can't adequately describe pushed me to where I am. In other words, I'm here to satisfy my curiosities.

Honestly, you're never going to get a consensus from our profession, because such a thing does not exist. Physics is not for everyone, so try doing it, and I mean really doing it, before you commit yourself to anything.

>>3439909
What makes you love it so much? Referring back to my original questions: People? Work? Satisfaction from solving a problem?

>>3439920
Thanks for answering, I guess I'll shift the purpose of finding a consensus to just interviewing. Just curious and want to know more about the people.

Also detailing what that one Physicist spoke about was the fact that working on Physics as a major can become a platform for so many others. He says you learn valuable problem solving skills that will make you a valuable asset to any company. An example he said was when he was working on his PhD. An oil company (Shell, BP, I forgot which specifically) was interviewing people on his campus for Physics majors I believe and if I recall correctly, his professor recommended him. During the interview he says to the recruiter something like, "You are a big time oil company, I'm working on getting my PhD for Physics. Why the hell do you want me?" The guy just replies that people in Physics got dem problem solving skills.

>>3439975
i love that picture, but i cant help with yoru question- i wanted to do physics too but im terrible at maths

>>3439997
I suggest looking into resources such as Khan Academy and the /sci/ guide. (If you aren't already trying to improve and still interested) The Physicist said he wasn't too good at math so he did experimental physics and to his girlfriend (or wife, fuzzy memory) the math he did was relatively unbelievable to her. But to him, the math the theoretical Physicists did were unbelievable. Perspective.

Additional story from PhD Physicist. He mentioned that some point there was a "brain drain" of Physicists from someplace (blasted attention span) he used to be to some lab that dealt with Computer Science. An important person of the lab told him that the first year the Physicists were there they were useless. After that year they were one of the best workers the lab ever had.

>>3440041
Or maybe the CompSci made them smart.

Have you read your SICP today?

>>3440041
its true, you only get better through doing and ive been told that i should try theoretical physics.
I'll look through the /sci/ guide soon but ive been caught up in literature lately, and now this norway thing. Ive tried reading the guys manifesto and i dont think i will sleep for days knowing: a)there are people out there like this b)people will read it and agree with it.
I think i may become an academic recluse, i dont want to go out into this world

>>3440045
Well, PhD Physicist was hinting back to the part of the problem solving skills so I assume skills they learned while doing the Physics major made them learn the Computer Science quickly and so on so forth.
And no sir I did not read my SICP today sir, I will get right to it sir!

>>3440051
If you go out in the world thinking bad things, it may become the only thing you would be able to see. PhD Physicist has said that continuing on in the Physics field you'll meet interesting people (I'll assume fun as well) so don't fret and think about the interesting people you could meet.

More PhD Physicist man advice. He did stress that you don't just have to stick with Physics. You can even be a lawyer, a patent lawyer per se. He said there is a bit of a shortage of them that are experts. You got to understand the machine to know if it is infringing on anything and etc.

Bump. I hope the Physicists aren't asleep.

Last bump. I'll pick up the thread again after some sleep.

I hope by now there are more Physicists and Physics majors awake.

PhD Physicist has said that while working on PhD, it wasn't too much on what you did but more emphasis on how you did it. The professors will also enjoy watching you reach conclusions just as they did when they were getting their own PhD.

Bump with additional set of questions. What do you enjoy about the work? What kind of work do you do? What interesting person have you met (if you have met any) or are you the interesting person?

PhD Physicist man has said that Physics field has a lot more impact on the world than one might think. Internet was made so physicists could talk with each other. Work on quantum physics was how lasers, transistors, computers, etc. were invented. Experimentation on electromagnetism created the radio. Along the road of the Physics field, people would have to invent things required in an experiment because it didn't exist and then someone else goes, "Hey I could use that, but in this way instead!" and a revolution starts. It really wasn't known what studying in Physics at a certain time would have an impact on the future, but time and time again it has proven to spark the many things we see today. Perhaps all the current particle studies will yield something bigger than anything we could ever imagine today or raise snowballing implications.

I guess it is safe to assume that I underestimated the number of Physicists on this board or they just don't want me to know about their c-kret club (K33P OUT).

I'm still hoping that someone would be willing to answer my questions and be interviewed, but if anyone wants to ask me any questions I'll keep an eye out on this thread. There is still probably a lot more PhD Physicist wisdom I could impart.