From Our Alumni: Value of Physics Degree
| Name, E-mail, Value of Physics Degree |
|---|
| Eugene W. Peterson, Absolutely essential. |
| Owen Gailar, mudz@ix.netcom.com Absolutely essential. (1) Lessons in penmanship (2) Engineering - fluid flow |
| Dan MacIsaac, danmac@nau.edu Essential. |
| Brett Coryell, bcoryell@sprintparanet.com In my current role as a manager there is no direct value for having detailed knowledge of physics. Obviously, that was more applicable when I taught physics. I credit my physics education at Purdue, though, with providing me with a base of analytical thought (further refined at grad school) that gave me a competitive advantage in my more technical roles. In my attempt to be brief, I'd say that the following skills were well developed by my physics education and have proven valuable in my professional career; the ability to logically and systematically pursue a line of thought including troubleshooting or problem solving; the ability to learn new information rapidly and efficiently; the ability to entertain seemingly paradoxical situations as being true; the ability to separate the notions of causation and correlation. |
| Kenneth Mendelson, mendelsonk@marquette.edu Ph.D. in physics is required |
| Richard Glen Carter, rgcarter@home.ffni.com Very high value. |
| Thomas E. Parker, tparker@boulder.nist.gov Wouldn't be here without it. |
| George Simler IV, ivsimler@attbi.com 1. Achieving as much as I did in physics basically showed me that nothing is harder than sitting around 24 hours working on one electrodynamics problem out of Jackson and still having five more to go...so I'm very willing to sit around doing the most basic and grunt-like things without complaining too much. 2. I have the confidence to do whatever comes my way. 3. My basic understanding of mathematics that came from applying it to physical systems has helped me enormously in quickly comprehending subjects such as economics and finance. 4. Direct knowledge of science and technology has helped with certain cases my firm has worked on. |
| Robert E. Turner, turner12@llnl.gov 1. Ph.D. is pretty much a de facto requirement here. 2. General experimental experience, problem-solving techniques, etc., are all useful. |
| Fritz Zuhl, fritzuhl@creative.net A great deal. Direct application as an acoustic engineer. |
| John , A master's degree is essential for teaching at a college. |
| N. , A Ph.D in low temperature is required for this position, so my physics education is quite valuable! |
| Roshan L. Aggarwal, aggarwal@ll.mit.edu A Physics degree has been invaluable not only for my occupation, but also for providing an informed outlook on life (personal and community). |
| Karen Visnovsky, A Physics degree is not the usual path taken to work in an environmental field, but it stands up well next to my colleagues' engineering degrees. |
| Anthony Roach, aroach@electriceyeball.com A physics degree is very valuable for any technical occupation. Physics teaches problem solving skills, mathematics, and other technical skills that are very valuable to a software engineer. You'll notice that a lot of job descriptions for software engineers state that a B.S. in Computer Science or Physics is required. Also most employers realize that it takes a lot of talent and hard work to get a degree in Physics and that talent and hard work are what really counts in technical employees. |
| Tom Sandin, sandint@ncat.edu Absolutely essential. I returned for my Ph.D. as it was the "union car"" I needed to teach ina university. |
| William C. Morse, morse@bnl.gov Absolutely necessary. |
| Herbert Kleiman, kleiman@ll.mit.edu Absolutely Vital. Although most of what I do would be considered part of an electrical engineering program these days, the physics is fundamental to all my research. |
| Roger Alig, ralig@sarnoff.com All my colleagues have PhD's in Physics |
| Bryan Jenkins, bryan.jenkins@us.wmmercer.com Although I value the experience and knowledge I gained in acquiring my Physics Degree, it has little if any application to my current occupation. It does look good on my resume though. |
| J. Trent Anderson, mbp928@aol.com Analytical skills, precise thinking, clarity of thought. |
| Griffith L. Gordon, k4vx@nemonet.com As I had worked as an electronics technician, taught electronics at Kessler AFB, and had studied many engineering areas prior to my returning to Purdue in 1960, I felt that a more theoretical background was more important than learning "again" how motors and generators work! I was right. The scientific and mathematical background I received at Purdue has been invaluable to me both in my formal career and my consulting work in the areas of digital data transmission and HF antenna design. |
| James F. Kortright, jkortright@aol.com B.A. important. Nowadays radiological physics grad degrees "necessary." |
| Joe R. Dickinson, Jr., patch@evansville.net Background in physics made it easier to do research in psychology to get Ph.D. Enjoy teaching physics/astronomy/math. |
| Bob Dallmann, bobdallmann@comcast.net Besides providing the knowledge base for the classes I taught, there are several other areas of importance: *problem solving skills *organization skills *prestige of the school assisted me in getting a position |
| Hastings A. Smith, Jr., hsmith@lanl.gov Crucial in all areas. Technical know-how provides solid basis for technical work and establishes technical credibility for the international collaborations. |
| William C. Larson, wmslarson@vswest.net Decision making - logical, reasonable, based on data. Willingness to change based on new information and feedback. Scientific method of thinking is applicable in all areas of life - in writing letters, policies, etc. Writing, speaking, thinking in a logical, predictable, consistent way is appreciated by those in your organization. |
| Rajinder P. Khosla, rkhosla@nsf.gov Develop Analytical Skills Broad Background-with Physics background one can learn almost anything. Personal Career-From Low temperature Physics to Materials Research to Integrated Circuits to Imaging Systems to General Management. Presently Program Management of Diverse, Multidisciplinary Programs at NSF. |
| Franklyn K. Levin, fklevin@swbell.net During my 50 years a research geophysicist, I found not only the way of attacking a problem, I learned my education was invaluable; much of the classical physics was itself just what I needed. Exploration seismology, the area of my research work, is classical physics of the 19th century, plus modern signal processing techniques. For many years I recruited for Ph.D's. to attract to Exxon. Most of those I found were physicists. |
| Mark Boriack, mboriack@dctd.saic.com Early in my career I worked on various problems, such as high energy laser system effectiveness, in which I was able to directly use a fair portion of my physics and math education. A major part of this work was the development of compute models. As time went on, my interests evolved more and more into software development. It really has been my experience that a physics background is excellent preparation for working on research, development, and systems integration problems. |
| Kara Hoffman, kara@hep.uchicago.edu Essential |
| Mark Lucas, lucasm@ohiou.edu Essential |
| Thomas White, Essential |
| Thomas A. Callcott, tcallcott@utk.edu Essential credentials. |
| David N. Ruzic, druzic@uiuc.edu Essential! |
| Timothy Gong, Tim_Gong@mvis.com Essential!! |
| Gerald Peterson, peterson@physics.umass.edu Essential, obviously. |
| Tony B. deBellis, Tjdebe@aol.com Essential. |
| Gary Doolen, gdd@lanl.gov Essential. |
| Jeffrey Fuhr, jeffrey.fuhr@nist.gov Essential. |
| D. Catalina Marinescu, dcm@clemson.edu Essential. |
| David C. Cassidy, chmdcc@hofstra.edu Essential. One cannot write about or research the history of physics without understanding the physics. One cannot teach or write for non-scientists on the subject of physics without a full appreciation of and firm grounding in the subject. |
| T. Craig Sangster, sangster1@llnl.gov Essential. Success at a national lab requires a willingness to apply experimental/ computational/theoretical skills to a broad spectrum of problems. Applied physics courses /programs would be especially valued during a hiring decision. Experience in more than one field would also be considered valuable. |
| Andy Hauger, jhauger@aug.edu Essential. The most important thing about the graduate work is learning how to learn new things on your own. In a small college environment, one must be ready to teach subjects outside one's specialty. |
| Eric Johnson, eric@creol.ucf.edu Excellent foundation for graduate work. |
| Joseph Brown, Extremely important |
| Earl Ebert, eetheta@aol.com Extremely valuable for a career in systems engineering. Systems Engineering is by it's nature very broad. My background in physics has given me some experience in a lot of different areas. In general, if I don't know the specific subject matter, I at least know where to look. |
| Robert Brubaker, brubaker@ieee.org For both of my jobs so far, the application is partly optics and partly solid state physics. This is actually an excellent match to my research at Purdue. I've been lucky! |
| John C. Corelli, Found it to be extremely useful in many branches of Engineering Mech. Elect. Met's and some parts of Chem Eng. I did research took in and trained grad. students . |
| Dan Stockelman, Helped me get job. Working on engineering applications for a large air conditioning company, has put many of my math and physics skills to good use. Matrix math, vectors, Heat transfer are all useful in day to day operations. |
| Russell W. Dreyfus, rustira@yahoo.com high |
| Pierce Kelly, piece@naps.edu Highly - A degree in Physics trains you in critcal thinking. Thus allowing to be adaptable to any work environment. |
| Dan Fleetwood, dan.fleetwood@vanderbilt.edu I have always worked at the interfaces between physics, engineering, and material science. A physics background provides a broad background with a lot of different types of problem solving skills. Often, the ability to approach a problem in a fundamentally different way than the rest of the people working on it is a big advantage. As a specific example, come aspects of electronic circuits built with cross-coupled inverters (e.g., a static random access memory) can be solved very simply by analogy to two-state systems, as treated in quantum mechanics. A physics degree provides both technical depth and breadth, which is very useful in the microelectronics field. |
| Mark (Danny) Rintoul, rintoul@sandia.gov I have found that breadth in an education is much better than depth, but you must be flexible in your area of work. |
| Ira Jacobs, ijacobs@vt.edu I once thought I was unique teaching EE, never having taken a formal EE course in college. But I find there are many EE faculty with similar backgrounds. I have found that a physics background has been invaluable in working in new interdisciplinary fields (e.g. fiber optics). It is much easier to move from fundamentals (physics) to applied (engineering) than the other way around. |
| Greg Cambron, cambrong@saintxfac.com I think it is of great importance, but national standards do not require high school teachers to be degreed in there particular subject matter. I am certified in math and chemistry also. I honestly believe teachers are more excited and passionate about their subject if they have that degree. I know I am. |
| Jeff Achtermann, j.achtermanncomputer.org I'm very glad I did a bachelor's in physics. I feel that studying science helps one develop good problem solving abilities and an attention to detail. These attributes are important in any career. I've also found that studying physics made me a more rounded person that better understands the workings of the universe. Some of my CS colleagues have a good background in computers, but they don't really know much outside of their field. |
| Paul G Shiffler, pshiffler@nmh.nerthfield.ma.us In terms of teaching, I have more than enough insight and knowledge. My TA years have proven invaluable as a secondary teacher. My programming and other computer work has also proven to be extremely useful. |
| Bill C. Riemers, In the current job market, a PhD in Physics is a disadvantage finding work. It means I am either considered over qualified, because I have a PhD, or under qualified, because my degree is not in the area of work for which I am applying. However, when you have a job, you will be amazed how much of what you have learned applies to almost any field of work. For example, I was able to quickly establish myself as an expert in document imaging, because the type of programming and mathematics needed is not much different from what is used to study high energy physics. |
| John J. Mennel, Indispensable. The in-depth understanding of applied mechanics, electromagnetics and applied mathematics makes physicists highly respected and capable team members. Physicists 3can do anything.2 Physicists are better trained for interdisciplinary systems engineering than are all but few engineers. |
| Douglas Verret, d-verret@ti.com Inestimable. A solid background in the fundamentals of physics (mechanics, thermodynamics, e&m, atomic, nuclear, solid-state and plasma physics) has allowed me to become a versatile and adaptable problem-solver and has allowed me to move rather effortlessly from one leading edge technology to another with almost no re-training necessary. |
| Hellmut Fritzsche, hellmutf@aol.com Initiated my life's career. |
| Yok Chen, yok.chen@science.doe.gov invaluable |
| Frank Richter, frichter@embl-hamburg.de invaluable |
| Joe D. Thompson, jdt@mst.lanl.gov invaluable |
| Richard Olenick, olenick@acad.udallas.edu Invaluable! A degree in physics opens up doors for careers in engineering, teaching, intellectual property law, and other fields. |
| Donald (Don) D. Cummings, don.cummings@us.endress.com Invaluable. My entire career has involved the understanding and application of physical principles and laboratory practices, that technical understanding, my career experiences and my "physics ed" courses at Purdue all came together to create a background that is ideal for my Training responsibilities with technical products. It is my experience that physicists can be effective communication liaisons between engineers and management; being able to see across inter-disciplinary boundaries and find physical analogies to convey seemingly esoteric engineering concepts to...non-technical people; but also help engineers see broader perspectives. |
| Ronald K. White, ronwhite@llnl.gov It is essential. Virtually all my colleagues in the laser division have PhDs, in Physical Chemistry and Engineering as well as Physics. But there have been times in my career, both at LLNL and SRI, when my earlier education in economics and financial analysis was vital too. For example, I was able to contribute significantly to the AVLIS program by modeling the production and valuation of separative work in the Uranium Enrichment Enterprise, both as a governmental entity and as a private enterprise. This was instrumental in the privatization of the enterprise in 1995. |
| Bob Dulude, bob.dulude@baltimore.com Knowing how to solve problems. |
| M. , knowledge of Physics is very valuable in my area of business. Today I use this knowledge to study mainly in optics related area; such as lens theory, and non-linear optics. I use diffraction theory, which forms the basic building blocks of what we do. We live by the diffraction-limited imaging and image systems. Though my advanced degree is in Materials Science my Physics background is very highly valued and comes in handy in almost all daily technical activity that I have to do. |
| Robert K. Linback, robertl@primary.net Learning to think critically. |
| James Mayhan, james.d.mayhan@exxon.com More than I would have thought. Physics taught me to analyze a physical process, model it, and solve the model so as to understand the process. This problem solving method can be applied to almost any business process within a major corporation. My personal interest has been applying this problem solving method to the financial reporting process, e.g., how does one manage a large database and mine it for useful information? (On the other hand, I try to stay current with progress in particle physics, e.g., the discovery of the top quark validating its prediction by the Standard Model, the hints offered by string theory for the potential unification of quantum field theory and general relativity.) |
| G. , My degree in physics from Purdue, my background in a farm (lives on a farm since 1938), and my ability to run lathes, milling machines, welders etc. helped me succeed not only in my career as an engineer but also as a farmer. Having a background which included math, electricity, mechanics and maybe a little common sense has helped me become successful in my undertakings. I also feel that having a degree from Purdue gave me some status because people recognized the quality of education that I received. |
| Thierry Kauffmann, t0hierry@hotmail.com My job requires PhD in science. My research experience in physics is very useful for doing research in quant finance. Understanding of modelisation, role of mathematical formulation and link to experiments translates directly into finance. |
| R. Edward English Jr., My physics education helped me to learn how to understand why. Physics showed me how to apply high-level mathematics to problem solving. Physics led me into the study of optics, a fascinating field of applied physics and engineering. I am part physicist and engineer: this allows me to communicate effectively with both types of coworkers. |
| Michael Goehring, mgoehring@nttc.edu My physics was the background for becoming a technology transfer expert. It enabled me to develop a broad knowledge of technology in all fields of engineering and science. |
| Kevin Bollhorst, kbollhor@erinet.com My training at Purdue University has proved an invaluable resource over the last 17 years. The educational experience acquired via my B.S. in Physics instilled in me powerful problem-solving techniques. Said training has given me an added edge over classically trained engineers through out the years. Simply stated, my training at Purdue University taught me the following: 1) How to learn; 2) How to identify professional areas requiring additional training; 3) How to define a problem (an important skill required in industry yet lacking amongst many engineers); 4) How to strategically plan and implement problems solutions; and 5) How to communicate and publish the solution(s) to said problem(s). Last but not least, Purdue's Physics Program provided me an excellent education in classical and modern physics. |
| Jonathan Meyer, jon.meyer@motorola.com My undergraduate degree in physics provided me with the basic mathematics and science background needed to understand the full range of Motorola's scientific and engineering innovations. I feel that my training in physics was broader in the sciences than would have been the case with an electrical engineering degree. Most intellectual property attorneys require more breadth than depth in their scientific training and I feel that my physics education provided just what I needed. |
| David L. Banner, banner@llnl.gov n/a |
| Hugh L. Scott, scotth@iit.edu n/a |
| Ken Ports, kports@ee.fit.edu Nearly all of my career to date has been in industry, as an "engineer". My physics education has served me very well by having provided a fundamental understanding of microelectronics materials, devices and technology. Advanced-degree physicists in microelectronics are considered strong generalists adept at working a variety of more difficult or unusual challenges and opportunities. They don't seem to be "cubbyholed" or labeled by a certain specialty as do many engineers. In my case, this has led to a range of diverse and extremely interesting assignments, eleven patents and over 30 publications and articles. I am now a consulting Professor of Engineering even though I have never had an engineering course in my life. |
| Barney Molldrem, Bmolldrem@aol.com or Tramol@dreamscape.com Physics background is the key to understanding the details and principles for inventions in many fields, from improved heat engines to floral display coolers to antifungal creams to plating baths for high resolution compact disk processes. |
| Jeff Czajka, jc7ta4@rochester.infi.net Physics degree provides a good foundation for understanding the many different components of camera operation. |
| Helmut Paul, helmut.paul@jku.at Physics degree was fundamental for my work, and being a teaching assistant was a good preparation for becoming a physics teacher |
| James F. Goff, Physics degree was necessary |
| Wilbur Kimbrough, wkimbrough1@home.com Physics has been particularly useful to me since I can do a variety of subjects in the curriculum rather than just one or two. |
| G. Roger Stanley, gstanley@accd.edu Physics is an essential background for completing an Astronomy program. I was well prepared by Purdue for the mathematical and conceptual challenges in graduate school, especially the "Quantum Astronomy" class I took. I was/am able to tutor calculus, chemistry, and physics based on what I learned in my undergraduate courses since I was led to understood the material, not memorize. Overall, I am working in my chosen field right out of school! |
| Steven A. Havstad, steve.havstad@trw.com Physics is the most basic science and provides a valuable foundation for a wide variety of career choices. |
| Ron Reger, RonaldKReger@aol.com Physics provides a very broad technical base which has been key understanding system, electrical, and mechanical engineering issues. |
| William C. Murphy, wjm4@cdc.gov Physics was a great choice because you develop a fundamental approach to science. The analytical tools of physics can be applied in several areas of science and engineering. |
| Donald E. Allen, Physics was the root of it all!! |
| Peter H. Klose, Priceless. |
| David K. Lyon, grandtx@aol.com Probably not a typical physics career path. Professional Army officer attended Purdue to attain M.S. prior to teaching undergraduate physics. Some subservient assignments related to nuclear warfare. |
| Michael Humnicky, michael.s.humnicky@lmco.com Provided the fundamental understanding of the science and technology relating to the development and operations of space programs. |
| Melvin J. Glimcher, M.D., GLIMCHER@A1.TCH.HARVARD.EDU Rational thought processes-Socratic approach to problem solving; Rigorous scientific background Excellent background to understand complicated biophysical problems |
| Robert Wilson, wilson@lamar.colostate.edu Required. |
| Robert M. Goodwin, rmgoody@frontiernet.net See "Hidden Physicists" in recent issue of the Sigma Pi Sigma Journal. |
| Herman A. Lauter, lauter@oxy.edu Since one of my main specialties in Philosophy was the Philosophy of Science, my training in Physics was invaluable both in learning and teaching. |
| Anthony Dunn, aldunn@iolky.com Sound basis in understanding the logic of problem solving. It also gave me the understanding necessary to implement all the new technology available in my industry. |
| Dale Lawton, lawton2@home.com Taught Physics and Science at High School Taught Physics and Math at College. |
| Patricia Banogon, pbanogon@paebell.net The ability to analyze data and develop test plans requires the same skills that were developed in physics classes. |
| Mike Burkland, mburkland@raytheon.com The broad background that my physics education has given me has allowed me to study many different and interesting fields, from x-ray optics, to planetary sciences. I have been able to adapt to a new field by applying the fundamental principles of physics that I learned, and continue to learn in the profession. |
| Donald (Don) D. Heim, donaldcheim@earthlink.net The broad exposure to the many disciplines of heat, sound, electricity, optics, magnetism, mechanics, chemistry, math and statistics are what is needed for a successful career in instrumentation. |
| Raymond J. Dagenais, rjdag@imsa.edu The concepts and principles encountered in physics are fundamental to the study of chemistry, biology, and earth/space science. My physics background has been critically instrumental in the design of science curricula and assessment at the secondary level. The ability to successfully teach calculus-based mechanics and electricity/magnetism requires a solid understanding of physics and mathematics. The value of my understanding of this subject matter is manifested in what my students learn and what they do with this knowledge and understanding. |
| John Garrison, garrison@physics.berkeley.edu The experience and certification afforded by the Ph.D. were essential for my career. |
| John McGuire, Jhmc040242aol.com The master's degree opened the opportunity of college teaching. The background gained while at Purdue in a four summer NSF Institute enabled me to teach both in high school and college with greater depth and understanding. |
| Pawan Bhartia, bhartia@chapman.gsfc.nasa.gov The Physics degree is directly relevant. The work involves knowledge of modern optical instruments, spectroscopy, molecular physics, and radiation transfer (scattering, emission, and absorption of radiation) in earth's atmosphere. |
| James R. Voss, The understanding of physics fundamentals combined with analytical mathematics were very helpful in the wide variety of problems that I confronted. Physics gave me insights that were far better than were available to engineers. I was able to steer engineering research projects toward productive conclusions, detecting and avoiding errors that might have deflected the path. Most of my patents involve devices that were unknown when I was in school. |
| William Struzinski, wstruz@gateway.net The value of a physics education in my career is NIL. |
| Leila Wilson Shiozawa, lshiozawa@nls.net There actually is some value because of the physical basis of the climate model. It would help if I could remember what I learned many years ago. Also I am married to a physical chemist who specializes in crystal physics. |
| Colonel William DeGraf, peredg@aol.com Used primarily for nuclear policy including nuclear warfare planning and arms control at all levels including NSC staff. |
| Keith Mounts, keithm@his.com Valuable in my first full-time employment because I was writing computer simulations of aircraft systems and performance which required knowledge of the physics involved. Not directly valuable in my current job, except that the computer skills I learned in my first job led to this position. |
| Victor Kaufman, victrmn@aol.com Very high value. I enjoyed every moment of my career! |
| Robert M. Hill, robert.hill@kirtland.af.mil Very important |
| Dr. Mark May, may@pha.jhu.edu Very important. Could not survive without it on my research based career path. |
| Robert N. White, bob.jville@juno.com Very valuable to have both a Physics degree and a Math degree. Also: My 2 summers of NSF Physics research on radiation-doped crystal spectra was very valuable. And: My 4 summers at Purdue of NSF Physics Masters Degree Program was quite valuable. |
| Carlos Guzman, eh20cegs@shellus.com Very valuable. The process of exploring for oil and gas uses wave physics, signal processing, rock physics, and analysis of three dimensional seismic reflection data. The scientific method is present throughout the entire process: gather data, make a model and predictions, and test predictions/model with a well(nowadays, deep targets 25000- 30000 feet below sea level in 5000- 8000 feet of water). |
| Alwyn F. Wiebe, wiebeassoc@aol.com Very valuable. without it, I'd have had no career. There wasn't an assignment or project in which my training in Physics didn't play a dominant role. Of particular usefulness was the experience gained as a technician on the 300Mev Synchrotron project. Equally important were the physical optics courses and labs. |
| Edward Simon, Simoned@prodigy.net Was absolutely necessary. |
| Dr. Katharine J Jones, kjjones@stat.rice.edu Wavelets is a new interdisciplinary field. My background in physics provided me with the preparation to take on any field at engineering - or mathematics. |
| Cyrus A. Bryant, bryantcy@hotmail.com Well, gotta have it to teach it at university and to be a well informed physical scientist. |
| Kenneth Chad Bastian, cwlkjbastian@juno.com While my current occupation doesn't have much to do with physics per se, my physics degree gave me a fantastic, fundamental science and math education. I believe that with my physics undergrad degree, I could have gone on to do almost anything in the science or engineering area. |
| Albert Vest, alvest@columbus.rr.com Willingness to study, think, experiment, and evaluate using objective criteria. |
| Peter L. Lindley, Work was essentially engineering development, but Physics background provided wider spectrum of my familiarly with and understanding of many of the not so obvious implications of problems and their solution criteria and decisions. |
| Matt Lyons, mattlyon@microsoft.com Working on my physics degree helped develop my critical thinking and problem solving skills. These skills are invaluable to the testing cycle in software development. While I am not using the physics knowledge itself that I learned, earning a physics degree allowed me to get where I am now. As a side note, I know of several physics degree holders from different schools who are now testing software for a living. There is something about software testing that makes a physics background valuable. |
