What's the most active field of physics nowadays?

scottbekerham

I have some questions.
What's the most active field of physics nowadays?
Is theoretical high energy physics worth doing ? What's the current state of research ?
Which is easier one to get quickly into research ,Condensed matter or particle physics, string theory etc.?

Vanadium 50

Condensed matter.

Could you possibly be any vaguer on this?

Doesn't this depend on a lot on where you are?

scottbekerham

I hear people saying that theoretical HEP is very difficult . The entry barrier is very hard to penetrate and similar stories . Also and most importantly it has no connection to real life and it will take decades to produce a real theory so one should better study condensed matter that have applications etc.

scottbekerham

I mean one who is working on strings feels that theories he's developing will turn out to be ultimately false (It's just some mathematical curiousity) but in condensed matter one study graphene and other things that's very important in real life

Choppy

If you look at this report:
http://www.aip.org/statistics/trends...ysgrad2008.pdf
on page 11 you'll see a breakdown of physics PhDs granted by subfield. Although the data is now about 5 years old, condensed matter seems to be a clear leader and I doubt that's changed.

LastOneStanding

Well then it sounds like you answered your own question. If working on things that could just be a 'mathematical curiosity' doesn't appeal to you, then from your perspective it's not worth doing.

Arsenic&Lace

For condensed matter PHD's, what are industry employment prospects like? Do they have greater odds of getting jobs in academia, and of working in tech/engineering sectors (if I can't be a physicist, at least I can work in tech or engineering).