- #1
Physics_UG
Gold Member
- 288
- 2
I have a dual BS in EE and physics that I obtained about 4 years ago. I attended a PhD program in EE and I was not particularly content with the research I was doing and I had some kind of a breakdown out there (across the country). I have decided that I will never be satisfied with my life unless I obtain a PhD. I have decided to go back to grad school for a PhD in physics but I have no idea where I want to go or what I want to research. I plan on going back in the Fall of 2014 (I will apply Fall of 2013). I am getting old and will not get my PhD until I am around 34 and by the time I get a permanent position I will be around 40. However, this path is likely the only thing I will be happy with in life. Since leacing grad school back in 2010 I have had a smattering of various EE jobs in the auto industry that I am not interested in in the least and I know I will not be happy in industry (at least not the auto industry)
I am going to get a part time job somewhere (such as at Starbucks), work on my health (I need to lose some weight), study for the PGRE, and decide where I want to go and what to do for my research between now and the Fall. I would like to start spring of 2014 if possible but I know that is unlikely.
I am thinking around maybe beam physics or experimental particle physics but I am thinking that traditional particle accelerators will be out of date when the ultrafast high power lasers are used to accelerate particles.
I think I might be interested in ultracold atomic physics or maybe general relativity but I don't know much about these things.
What advice can you provide to someone in my situation?
Thanks!
I am going to get a part time job somewhere (such as at Starbucks), work on my health (I need to lose some weight), study for the PGRE, and decide where I want to go and what to do for my research between now and the Fall. I would like to start spring of 2014 if possible but I know that is unlikely.
I am thinking around maybe beam physics or experimental particle physics but I am thinking that traditional particle accelerators will be out of date when the ultrafast high power lasers are used to accelerate particles.
I think I might be interested in ultracold atomic physics or maybe general relativity but I don't know much about these things.
What advice can you provide to someone in my situation?
Thanks!