From Our Alumni: Advice Given to Students
| Name, E-mail, Advice Given to Students |
|---|
| Pawan Bhartia, bhartia@chapman.gsfc.nasa.gov 1) particular courses that would be valuable 2) avenues for success Suggest taking courses in the Atmospheric Physics, meteorology, oceanography, geophysics, numerical analysis, and statistics. These disciplines are in need of bright young Physicists who are comfortable with modern optical (UV, visible, and IR) and microwave instruments and who have experience in analyzing complex scientific data. |
| Kevin Bollhorst, kbollhor@erinet.com Although I do not recall Purdue's precise Course Numbers, I would recommend the following: 1. All recommended Physics Courses for a B.S. degree in Physics. Said courses should included: Lecture and laboratory courses in Optics, Kinematics & Dynamics, E&M Theory, Thermodynamics, Quantum Mechanics, and Relativity. 2. All the advanced Mathematics courses you can get your hands on. Strive to attend courses up to and including study of Fourier Series and Boundary Value Problems. 3. All the computer science courses one can muster. The ability to harness computer software and hardware in the workplace is a masterful skill that few conquer. 4. All the English composition courses possible. Unfortunately, I have seen a disturbing trend over the last decade. What is this trend? The decline in and growing apathy towards skills in written and oral communication amongst college graduates. I must make this absolutely clear: THE ABILITY TO CLEARLY COMMUNICATE, PUBLISH, AND DISTRIBUTE ONE'S TECHNICAL FINDINGS WILL MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MAINTAINING THE STATUS QUO AND ADVANCING YOUR CAREER/IDEAS! Although many technical professionals hate to write, I recommend that you conquer your fears and overcome your communication weaknesses. |
| J. Trent Anderson, mbp928@aol.com For law, physical sciences plus solid background of liberal arts (english, philosophy). One accounting course is also helpful. n/a |
| Eugene W. Peterson, I am too out of date to say anything meaningful. Nowadays one must understand quantum mechanics. n/a |
| Bob Dallmann, bobdallmann@comcast.net n/a n/a |
| Victor Kaufman, victrmn@aol.com n/a n/a |
| James F. Kortright, jkortright@aol.com n/a n/a |
| John McGuire, Jhmc040242aol.com n/a n/a |
| Kenneth Mendelson, mendelsonk@marquette.edu 1) Courses in electromagnetism, classical and quantum mechanics, optics, and statistical physics are necessary for anyone pursuing a career in physics. |
| Ira Jacobs, ijacobs@vt.edu 1) Learn the fundamentals. There is often the temptation to over-specialize in the current "hot topic" rather than obtaining the foundation that will better enable you to continue to learn over the course of your career. 2) Be able to communicate (write and speak). I attribute much of my success in industry as being able to interact and communicate with esoteric researchers and practical development engineers. |
| Raymond J. Dagenais, rjdag@imsa.edu 1) A solid major in physics with strong coursework in mathematics along with some upper level integrated or interdisciplinary science/math coursework would offer successful graduates multiple opportunities in education, industry/government, or continued education. 2) While secondary level teaching positions do not generally offer as high a starting salary as business positions, the work is personally rewarding and longevity in a system offers substantial retirement benefits. |
| Dan Stockelman, 1) Any computer courses, C, Ctt, Web, Java most valuable in general 2) Thee are surprisingly many nitch jobs available for which one or two physics courses are a very good start. I would say pick a specialty you are interested in and like, then get a job in that field. Many different companies have jobs where a physics skill set is a good match. The trick then becomes timing, do they have an opening when you are available. Send out lots of resumes. A hit will come. |
| Dr. Katharine J Jones, kjjones@stat.rice.edu 1) Classical mechanics; Electricity & Magnetism; Quantum Mechanics; Mathematical Physics; Abstract Algebra 2) Wavelets requires a rigorous background in abstract mathematics, also introductory courses in EE digital signal processing. The glass ceiling is a reality which has caused me to change fields, from molecular biology to physics and from physics to mathematics; it has so far never been addressed legally. It meant permanent employment for men and temporary employment for women. |
| Jeff Achtermann, j.achtermanncomputer.org 1) First of all, take courses that are interesting to you. College is a wonderful opportunity for one to immerse oneself in learning. You won't really appreciate that until after it's finished. Besides the base physics classes, I would recommend courses that require public speaking or writing. Of course, I also recommend computer courses. 2) Seek out opportunities to work with professors. That's the only way you're going to find out if you really like the physics business. It's also a great chance to work on a team. As you plot your career, keep in mind the job market. As much as possible, try to find a speciality in which there will be jobs. I have seen many of my astronomy classmates be forced out of astronomy because they just couldn't find jobs. |
| Douglas Verret, d-verret@ti.com 1) Get a good grounding in the fundamentals. Take as much mathematics (including statistics) as possible. Become facile with computers and lab instrumentation--especially metrology equipment of all shapes and kinds. 2) The world is getting smaller and exceedingly complex by the day. Most occupations you aspire to (except possibly in academia) will be in global companies. If you want to succeed, develop cultural sensitivities, learn how to communicate well both in written and oral form with people with diverse education and expertise and learn teaming skills (participation and leading). |
| Karen Visnovsky, 1) I suggest taking courses from as many different areas as you can. You may discover new interests before receiving your degree. 2) Never feel locked in to one particular field. |
| John J. Mennel, 1) If a student is primarily interested in classical physics, recommend courses in mechanics, electromagnetics, and applied mathematics including probability, statistics, numerical methods and partial differential equations. (2) Get at least a Master's degree. |
| Kara Hoffman, kara@hep.uchicago.edu 1) If you are a high energy experimentalist, learn as much theory as you can while taking classes at Purdue. Most of us in hep are now doing our Ph.D. research off campus, so it is impossible for us to take courses after the first few years. 2) Ask me after I land a faculty position. That is my ultimate goal. Does anyone have any advice for me? |
| Alwyn F. Wiebe, wiebeassoc@aol.com 1) Learn the Basics! Well!; concentrate on core - mechanics, E/M, thermodynamics, etc.; unless headed to theroretical studies, learn experimental skills well: lab procedures, instrumentation, etc. 2) Tackle any challenge with enthusiasm...you'll never know what will follow; always have an open mind, a "gee whiz" approach; don't neglect humanities; develop people skills. |
| Russell W. Dreyfus, rustira@yahoo.com 1) Most 2) Work hard, study hard think hard |
| James Mayhan, james.d.mayhan@exxon.com 1) My problem solving skills were honed in the "core" courses (classical and quantum mechanics, classical E&M). Knowing any programming language (Fortran, SAS, Basic) is invaluable in a major corporation (where systems support for business people tends to be "lean" at best). I've had jobs which were almost unmanageable until I spent nights and weekends writing code to automate the "number crunching". Then I'd have the time to analyze (i.e., think about) the results instead of spending most of my time merely generating the results). n/a |
| Jeffrey Fuhr, jeffrey.fuhr@nist.gov 1) Quantum Mechanic, Atomic Spectroscopy, Plasma Spectroscopy 2) Publish research results I respected physics journals such as Phys. Rev. A or J. Phys. B. |
| Roger Alig, ralig@sarnoff.com 1) Science students would do well to take writing and speaking courses. 2) Generally the best scientists use science to convince others to support their ideas. |
| Frank Richter, frichter@embl-hamburg.de 1) Strongly depends on what is your career goal! 2) If you want to stay in basic research, choose your courses according to your interests but don't get stuck in class work, get involved in research projects as soon as possible, this way you find out first hand what skills you need to develop; don't hesitate to switch project, collaboration and field or even school when you see no perspective, make sure you also get involved in the decision making process, e.g. project proposals, fund raising etc. Go for interns even if this may delay your graduation. |
| Fritz Zuhl, fritzuhl@creative.net 1) Take a balance of courses from both the sciences and the humanities. |
| Bill C. Riemers, 1) Take as diverse of a curriculum as possible. 2) Always think and plan five or more years in advance. Meaning as soon as you are admitted as an undergrad, start thinking about your graduate studies. When you are a graduate student, start thinking, and planning in as much detail as possible where you are going to work, and what your prospective employers will find impressive. If you plan on continuing in physics, then give lots of talks at conferences. Become well known in the perspective field, and make as many contacts as possible. Make contingency plans as well. For example, what are you going to do if the major source of funding in your field dries up? What happens if one of your children has an illness that restricts where you can live and work? |
| Donald (Don) D. Cummings, don.cummings@us.endress.com 1) Technical writing, Composition, foreign language(s), business economics, Intellectual property law. 2) Nearly all disciplines are applied within the context of a business - learn all you can about that business. Volunteer for special projects outside your comfort zone--accident investigating; systems changes, marketing, legal, etc. |
| Tony B. deBellis, Tjdebe@aol.com 1) Try melding physics with biology. 2) Stay away from defense work. 3) Alternative energy source. wind power...clean batteries or fuel cells. n/a |
| Robert M. Hill, robert.hill@kirtland.af.mil 1. *It is all interelated and important. It seems that there is always some connection between one area of physics and another. *Take courses designed for people in that major. If you have to take a history class-take something specialized. If you have to take chemistry, take chemistry for chem majors. The professors will then treat you as if you WANT to learn the material, and they tend to make it more interesting. The classes are smaller, and it seems to get you a better education. 2. *Get good at the math, the physics will follow...do lots of example problems *Don't give up! |
| James F. Goff, 1. Basic courses in chosen area. 2. Solid foundation in mathematics at the mathematicians level. |
| Thomas A. Callcott, tcallcott@utk.edu 1. Colloquium series on physics/science based occupations. |
| Robert E. Turner, turner12@llnl.gov 1. My friends who went into academia almost universally (1) like the teaching and student contact, and (2) bemoan the very low pay and constant grant/proposal writing. They also dislike university politics. 2. Friends who've gone to industry have experience in (1) software writing or (2) experience in computer modeling or (3) optics or (4) just sold themselves as being able to put together an integrated hardware/software system and make it work. These tend to be applied physics/engineering jobs. 3. Here at LLNL, they look for (1) astrophysics background (especially computer code development/modeling) or (2) "classical" experimental background, i.e., atomic/molecular, x-ray, plasma physics experience. |
| Joe D. Thompson, jdt@mst.lanl.gov 2)work with the very best collaborators/colleagues; be open-minded and respectful; commit the time and effort necessary to succeed; be scientifically inquisitive; learn to write and speak effectively; |
| Thomas White, Home Page of the High Energy Physics Group. We are a part of the Cavendish Laboratory at the University of Cambridge. |
| G. , A balance of courses - math, English, (so little of it is spoken or written correctly these days), history, economics, and physics (because of the exposure to a wide variety of subjects). |
| Donald (Don) D. Heim, donaldcheim@earthlink.net A general BS or MS physics degree with broad exposure is valuable in the field of instrumentation where the design and selection of sensors and accompanying electronics and their integration into a total measurement and control system is the end goal. This particular discipline needs varied knowledge of the principles of how things work. This also includes statistics employed in error propagation, chemistry involved in materials selection, math involved in the principles of the workings of devices. Although not a part of the normal physics courses when I graduated, the Electrical Engineering courses I took as electives were very valuable. |
| T. Craig Sangster, sangster1@llnl.gov A successful scientist must combine a solid technical background with an entrepreneurial spirit. Essential courses today would include management/leadership and resource management training. Also cross-disciplinary course work/research would be exceedingly valuable as applied physics moves rapidly into the fields of biology, nanotechnology and quantum commputations. With the decreasing emphasis at the national labs on experimental science, there is a growing need for computational physicists. However, a solid experimental background is still perhaps the most valued asset a student can possess. |
| Ken Ports, kports@ee.fit.edu a) Math is the language of physics - be fluent. b) If you want to go into industry, consider "shooting ahead of the duck", learning about nano- or pico-technologies, biotech, etc. Be asking "what comes after integrated circuits?", "what comes after handheld?", "what comes after wireless?", and so on, and study the science of it. c) If you want to go into academics after graduation, consider spending several years in industry first, to complete your education. You will be a better academician for having done so. |
| William C. Murphy, wjm4@cdc.gov Acoustics, Electromagnetics, Mechanics, Statistics. |
| Richard Glen Carter, rgcarter@home.ffni.com Add Business Management Courses. |
| Robert Wilson, wilson@lamar.colostate.edu All regular physics major courses plus computer programming, particularly with an emphasis on scientific applications. |
| Barney Molldrem, Bmolldrem@aol.com or Tramol@dreamscape.com Any lab course that requires you to design and build electronic or test equipment. |
| M. , As a person in a private corporation, working in the applied physics area, my advice is of course is from that point of view. While in college, develop your resume in the line of field you want to work in. Example, if you want to work in a company such as mine. Take classes in Micro Electronics, Thin Films, Optics, materials Science etc. If possible get to build some hands on experience in some of the excellent research labs in Purdue. Also, take classes on around non-science areas such as Communications, English and if possible in Social Psychology (to get an understanding of Teamwork). If you want to eventually end up in the management areas, make sure you take some classes sin Finance, or Management principles etc. Team Work is a major factor in the industry, so if you are planning to work in the industry ensure at least you have heard of the term Team Work. While interviewing for Jobs for the industrial positions ensure that you read and get a good understanding of Interviewing Skills. I would certainly recommend a book called "Sweaty palms". Your Resume is what you do today, so to build a resume, plan in advance what you want to look like a year or two from now and work on achieving it from today. |
| Griffith L. Gordon, k4vx@nemonet.com As I started learning computers around 1963 through short courses and did not have the opportunity to access the old IBM computer west of the EE building, I would recommend that all young students learn as much about programming as possible. In addition, a student should take as many math courses they can crowd into their schedule. When they are seniors take as many dual level (in my day 500 level) courses as their advisor will allow! |
| Carlos Guzman, eh20cegs@shellus.com Basic physics courses with emphasis on wave mechanics. Computational physics, probability and statistics, economics, and risk and decision analysis. Must be able to apply knowledge of physics to find oil and gas. Social skills are very important to maintain healthy team dynamics. Must have the ability to work well with others. Must be able to handle failure and bounce back..resiliency (success ratio in deep water wells is less than 30%..well cost 40 million dollars). |
| Keith Mounts, keithm@his.com Become familiar with software development. You can use software skills in numerous ways related to your degree if you choose to go that path. It will give you a valuable choice in career paths. |
| Richard Olenick, olenick@acad.udallas.edu Being able to think critically and to write clearly are the most important aspects of undergraduate education. Facility computers and programming is a necessary skill. Computational physics and theoretical mechanics prove useful in almost all technical areas in life after college. |
| Hellmut Fritzsche, hellmutf@aol.com Build a solid foundation and study everything you can. |
| Michael Humnicky, michael.s.humnicky@lmco.com Business Management courses are useful. Promotions to intermediate and higher technical positions are often determined by non-technical expertise, such as leadership skills and management/business acumen. Technical proposals, plans, and reports demand good communication skills. You might not appreciate those lab reports or English term papers, but good writing skills are appreciated in the business and scientific/engineering community. |
| James R. Voss, Complete physics fundamentals, combined with strong applied mathematics. This combination is very useful in an engineering development environment. In addition, it helps when dealing with vendors' and customers' engineering departments, because their problems may be different. To maximize income and to interact with management, some business administration could be helpful. n/a |
| N. , Computer and electronic skills are extremely valuable, and this is best learned in lab courses such as PHY536 (electronics) and the computational physics course that Prof. Giordano started. Social Skills: take courses outside of physics! Humanities, art, etc. -- I feel that the lack of these skills impairs many physicists as they venture into the job market. n/a |
| Eric Johnson, eric@creol.ucf.edu Diversify and take applied courses in engineering. If graduate school is a desire, then take as much math as possible. Also, try to get exposed to research during the undergrad and find a mentor. |
| George Simler IV, ivsimler@attbi.com Don't only take physics/math classes. Branch out. You will be happier and better prepared for whatever comes your way if you take something as simple as a couple of economics classes...or history (Does Prof. Foley still teach a class on the History of Science and Technology?), or whatever. If you like money and want some in life...take several economics and finance classes. You will be amazed at how much more you know and how much faster you will comprehend these subjects than your peers that are majoring in these subjects. If you decide at some point that being a "professional" physicist is not for you and you find these topics interesting you will have quite a few options. |
| Albert Vest, alvest@columbus.rr.com Follow your heart, not authority figures. n/a |
| Timothy Gong, Tim_Gong@mvis.com For myself, mathematical physics and electromagnetic theory were the best courses for industrial work. Try and gain experience with as many computer programs as possible, especially MatLab and LabView. |
| Mark Boriack, mboriack@dctd.saic.com From my heavily biased perspective as a software developer, I would recommend coursework in computer programming. Communication skills are tremendously valuable - both written and verbal. Most jobs involve working as part of a team, so it helps to have a great attitude toward doing whatever task needs to be done to make the project a success. We do not expect people to know how to do everything, but we want them to be eager to learn. |
| Thierry Kauffmann, t0hierry@hotmail.com Get a BROAD education. Take advanced classes in theoretical physics. Get involved in research as undergraduate. Keep your eyes open on the job market. |
| Anthony Dunn, aldunn@iolky.com Get a Ph.D. in Physics and possibly a B.S. or M.S. in an engineering technology field. Don't look for a high paying career in a small town. |
| Peter L. Lindley, Get any and all background you can and expect to do your most rewarding learning on the job. n/a |
| G. Roger Stanley, gstanley@accd.edu Hands-on courses or labs are good for developing alternate ways of thinking through problems. Taking Astronomy I and II and Astrophysics at Purdue solidified my decision to go to grad school in that area of specialization. I took computational physics and computer-based calculus for three semesters (rather than lecture-based) and found it to be rewarding. |
| David C. Cassidy, chmdcc@hofstra.edu History of physics and of science in general has become more professionally defined since my day, but the opportunities, exp in history of physics, are still essentially wide open. Generally it is recommended that students have a strong background in physics, preferably through the Masters degree before transferring into a history of science doctoral program. |
| William C. Morse, morse@bnl.gov I decided early that I would just not worry about tenure, career paths, funding, salary, etc. and would just do the best physics I could. Everything turned out great! |
| Pierce Kelly, piece@naps.edu I found that the electronic course was most useful in my Naval career. Being able to read diagrams and understand them, allowed me to help solve technical shipboard problems. n/a |
| Herbert Kleiman, kleiman@ll.mit.edu I have found that the first two years of physics are the most useful for any career you take except for an academic one. |
| Ronald K. White, ronwhite@llnl.gov I would advise as much breadth as possible in your education, both in your degrees and within particular degree studies. For example, in my physics program at Purdue I managed to take at least one of the advanced courses in all the main concentrations. I majored in plasmas, but took both the solid stated advanced courses, an advanced nuclear physics course, and an advanced course in particle physics. I also took two extra math department courses, in mathematical Method of Physics. I ended up with about 75 semester hours of credit, though only 48 hours were required. I took 5 of the extra courses while working on my dissertation. |
| Mike Burkland, mburkland@raytheon.com I would advise students to get as much practical experience in their area of interest as soon as possible. This could involve working for a faculty member or doing an internship. If it requires an extra semester or two to complete a degree, it is still worth the time spent. During an undergraduate career the student should be working on developing a clear idea of what areas of physics most excites them, reading current journals, attending colloquiums, etc. With this information, a student should not be shy about making contacts with people in those areas, if it involves getting advice or even volunteering time in a laboratory - use the back door to get involved if necessary! A physics student should have a sound education in statistics and probability as applied to the field. A semester course using a text such as Bevington would be useful. Experience in optics, radiometry and solid state physics would also be beneficial to a physics student looking for work at Raytheon. |
| Gerald Peterson, peterson@physics.umass.edu I wouldn't be so bold as to attempt to answer this question with assurance. A broad range of fundamental courses is important. |
| Jeff Czajka, jc7ta4@rochester.infi.net If you are interested in optics and imaging consider course work in image science. Studies in color measurement, image processing, and remote sensing would be wise choices. Do not neglect (like I did) to develop proficiency in software/programming skills, my hunch is that its a necessity for recent graduates. |
| John , If you want to teach (and I did/do), content in area of your interest is important. Next is teaching methods, a-v and some computer courses. |
| Ron Reger, RonaldKReger@aol.com In addition to a broad exposure to all physics curriculum areas, also take EE courses to get a good foundation in computer and software architectures. n/a |
| Roshan L. Aggarwal, aggarwal@ll.mit.edu In my opinion, the most important courses for success in science and technology are physics, mathematics, chemistry and biology at the Freshman level. The most important avenue for success in professional life is the lifelong commitment to do your best in the field of your choice including science, technology, medicine, law and business. |
| Jonathan Meyer, jon.meyer@motorola.com In my view, an undergraduate education in physics should be viewed as soled "basic training" that can provide the foundation for a large number of options for continued study. Students should not focus too narrowly, especially early in an undergraduate program, on a particular set of career goals. I would encourage any physics student (and any engineering student) to treat courses English, specifically those focusing on writing skills, as precious and scarce opportunities to improve a critical skill. Very few good jobs in the sciences and engineering can be performed successfully without good communication skills. |
| Edward Simon, Simoned@prodigy.net Learn your fundamentals of theoretical physics. Practice experimental physics. State of the art is based on experience, knowledge and "gut feel" decisions. Learn when to make decisions such as when to quit as well as when to continue a project. Learn when not to follow "the book". n/a |
| Cyrus A. Bryant, bryantcy@hotmail.com Look for hybrid courses e.g. biophysics, engineering physics, mathematical methods, astrophysics, quantum computing; broaden your horizons; position yourself to jump into hot new areas which are bound to develop. n/a |
| Robert Brubaker, brubaker@ieee.org Minimize the number of courses you take, and concentrate on finding a good professor. Do the best you can with the courses you do take. The most important things for your career are to produce solid papers and to get patents. |
| William Struzinski, wstruz@gateway.net My advice to current students is simple. This is an engineer's world not a physicist's world. A good electrical engineer today can write his or her ticket anywhere. On the other hand, where does a physicist end up? Essentially, with a PH.D. a physicist ends up in a university. I recommend that a student without a Ph.D. in physics make a career transition and get an engineering degree, particularly electrical engineering or computer engineering. |
| Leila Wilson Shiozawa, lshiozawa@nls.net My husband complains that many recent graduates know a lot of esoteric jargon but fail to have a complete understanding of fundamentals. I think that would describe me when I graduated from Purdue. Even today I occasionally begin to understand something I thought I learned long ago. n/a |
| Donald E. Allen, n/a n/a |
| David L. Banner, banner@llnl.gov n/a |
| Patricia Banogon, pbanogon@paebell.net n/a n/a |
| Joseph Brown, n/a n/a |
| Greg Cambron, cambrong@saintxfac.com n/a n/a |
| Yok Chen, yok.chen@science.doe.gov n/a |
| Joe R. Dickinson, Jr., patch@evansville.net n/a n/a |
| Gary Doolen, gdd@lanl.gov n/a n/a |
| Bob Dulude, bob.dulude@baltimore.com n/a n/a |
| John Garrison, garrison@physics.berkeley.edu n/a n/a |
| Melvin J. Glimcher, M.D., GLIMCHER@A1.TCH.HARVARD.EDU n/a n/a |
| Michael Goehring, mgoehring@nttc.edu n/a n/a |
| Robert M. Goodwin, rmgoody@frontiernet.net n/a n/a |
| Steven A. Havstad, steve.havstad@trw.com n/a n/a |
| Peter H. Klose, n/a n/a |
| William C. Larson, wmslarson@vswest.net n/a n/a |
| Herman A. Lauter, lauter@oxy.edu n/a n/a |
| Franklyn K. Levin, fklevin@swbell.net n/a n/a |
| Mark Lucas, lucasm@ohiou.edu n/a n/a |
| David K. Lyon, grandtx@aol.com n/a n/a |
| Thomas E. Parker, tparker@boulder.nist.gov n/a |
| David N. Ruzic, druzic@uiuc.edu n/a n/a |
| Tom Sandin, sandint@ncat.edu n/a n/a |
| Hugh L. Scott, scotth@iit.edu n/a |
| Paul G Shiffler, pshiffler@nmh.nerthfield.ma.us n/a n/a |
| Hastings A. Smith, Jr., hsmith@lanl.gov n/a n/a |
| Kenneth Chad Bastian, cwlkjbastian@juno.com One of the courses that was most valuable to me was the senior research project. This gave me experience in real-life physics objectives and challenges, both theoretical and experimental, that truly helped direct my post-undergrad education and career. |
| Matt Lyons, mattlyon@microsoft.com Particular courses - * I recommend taking anything outside of physics that is technically interesting as a part of a student's undergraduate work (CS, Biology, Chemistry, etc.). That's how I found my interest in computer science. * As far as physics classes go, I found Prof. Giordanno's 470B class (computational physics) to be very stimulating at how physics and computer science can work together. Avenues for success - * Don't box yourself in when looking at how to move forward after undergraduate work. Explore all your interests. * Take advantage of summer internships and student work/research opportunities. This helped me evaluate different career options. * Don't be afraid to look for internships starting your freshman year. I thought a freshman couldn't do this kind of work, so I didn't even pursue it. Later, I found that I was wrong and had missed one summer of opportunity. * Before going down some career path, try to talk to several different people who've gone down a similar path. While your path will likely be somewhat different, it can help you gain some insight into where you would be heading. |
| Andy Hauger, jhauger@aug.edu Perhaps the most useful of the courses were the Quantum Mechanics and Electronics sequences. Turns out that these are the courses I was first assigned to teach. If one is interested in undergraduate teaching it is essential to get experience in the classroom - get experience beyond the regular TA. Also look for creative ways to get students involved with some sort of research project even if it's not cutting edge stuff. The experience of working on problems outside of the textbook is important for your future students. n/a |
| Helmut Paul, helmut.paul@jku.at Physics is hard, and you'll never master it all (nobody will). But try to understand and enjoy as much as you can. |
| Brett Coryell, bcoryell@sprintparanet.com Re: particular courses -- I don't think I have any particular wisdom. Perhaps a good strategy is to take a many different courses and as many different types of courses as possible. Re: avenues for success - Here I feel strongly about giving two pieces of advice. First, work on relationships. Get to know your classmates and go talk to your professors outside of class. I was too shy in college and missed out on knowing some really great people. Second, recognize that the more you pursue a career with high intellectual barriers to entry (physicist, lawyer, doctor, whatever), the less your intellect will be a competitive advantage. Everyone will be smart. You may be smarter but unless you're a Feynman, that won't get you what you want. Success is the ability to deal with people |
| Owen Gailar, mudz@ix.netcom.com Solid state. Computer architecture & programming. Math analysis AND - FINANCES! n/a |
| John C. Corelli, Some physical chemistry and research as possible with computer emphasis. |
| Bryan Jenkins, bryan.jenkins@us.wmmercer.com Stay focused on a career path. I entered Purdue with the desire to become an Astrophysicist, but was talked out of it by my Physics advisor. (He told me someone would have to die before I could get a job as an Astrophysicist. Way to crush someone's dreams.) I switched to thoughts of becoming a professor in Theoretical Physics, so I picked up my Math double major. I then just went into Mathematics and stopped after my Masters to go into business. With hindsight, I should have taken the actuarial path as I was the top Math student in all my undergrad classes. That would have better suited my current career choice. Of course, who can ever predict where they'll be in 10 years? |
| Anthony Roach, aroach@electriceyeball.com Take a lot of computer programing and mathematics classes. These classes will help you in physics as well as other technical fields you may decide to pursue. Get some hands on experience in your intended field by doing summer internships. This will make you more attractive to prospective employers or Universities, and it will also give you real experience to help you decide what career path you want to pursue. |
| Dale Lawton, lawton2@home.com Take all the math that fits in. n/a |
| Mark (Danny) Rintoul, rintoul@sandia.gov Take as much math and computing as you can to augment your physics courses. And do not be obsessed with a particular career goal. Choose your goals and work hard for them, but reevaluate often. |
| Earl Ebert, eetheta@aol.com Take as much math as you can stand. It's the basis for everything and where you are most likely to run out of steam if you remain a technical contributor. Take a broad outlook in physics curriculum. Go outside of physics. It may not be unreasonable to take biology. Don't spend any time learning software languages. You can pick that up as you go along. |
| Rajinder P. Khosla, rkhosla@nsf.gov Take Courses in Applied Physics and Biophysics and interact with students in Engineering and Biochemistry |
| Dr. Mark May, may@pha.jhu.edu Take the laboratory classes especially the ones that do not have 'cook book' projects, since there are no simple experiments. Attend all the seminars that DO NOT relate to your field. I see too many physicists buried in their discipline and never take the time to learn about the advances in other fields which could be very important to your own work. Learn F77, the old codes I use are all in FORTRAN. Travel abroad/work abroad. Seeing another culture 'broadens the mind' and gave me a different view of this world. Do experimentation/observations/modeling; it enhances your ability to deal with problems and increases your job prospects. Don't become an expert at one thing (e.g., running IRAF). |
| Dan MacIsaac, danmac@nau.edu There are lots of teaching jobs in schools and community colleges, some at Universities. Teaching may not pay best, but has other benefits that I enjoy (people, lifestyle, family time). |
| Dan Fleetwood, dan.fleetwood@vanderbilt.edu Today I would be taking classes on electronic and photonic materials, computers, and the internet. I would also take classes in biology/biophysics, since that is an exploding area of research interest. In addition, one should pay attention to economics, finance, psychology, and the stock market. Use your analytical capabilities to their full advantage, but understand their limitations when they are applied to a field in which psychology is as important, if not more important, than numbers (e.g., the stock market). Useful web s |
| Colonel William DeGraf, peredg@aol.com Too far removed to be of help these days. n/a |
| Robert K. Linback, robertl@primary.net Use your time at Purdue to learn as much as you can about every subject you study. Subjects that may seem to be of little value while you are a student often are of critical importance to your success many years later. n/a |
| Wilbur Kimbrough, wkimbrough1@home.com We have career opportunities for very high-ability, ambitious, aggressive women and men who wish to work with nuclear reactors. New hires spend 6 months in Charleston, SC going to school to learn basic science and engineering principles of nuclear power (along with Navy officers who have come from the Naval Academy), then spend another 6 months in SC becoming qualified as operators on a real Navy nuclear reactor plant. After a few years in SC training others in the operation of reactors, people come to Pittsburgh, PA on a fast track to promotions and advancement. n/a |
| R. Edward English Jr., Work hard! Take every course you can (especially mathematics), and do well in them. When you get a problem wrong on an exam, figure out why and redo the problem on your own. Courses in logic and programming teach you a valuable problem-solving skill; take them. Go to a few seminars or colloquia (not just in areas of your immediate interest). Surf the library as well as surf the web. Keep a journal. n/a |
