Looking to pivot to physics at 31, could use some guidance

[Lathropian]

Hi all, I am looking for some advice (high-level-ish). I fundamentally enjoyed the subject material as an undergrad majoring in Physics. However, I ended up making a late change to Electrical Engineering for the sake of job applicability. I have worked as an engineer for a couple of firms but largely have not needed to leverage the fundamentally useful information that I have learned in either physics or EE. I am interested in finding a path to physics research, professorship, or entrepreneurship where I can apply skills and work on something that will have a big impact on humanity. Working in aerospace is definitely a possibility. I always had a knack for understanding and thinking things through at a fundamental level. I enjoy learning about what makes the universe tick and think it would be fundamentally exciting to have a career doing that or building systems to explore space. I am just looking to spitball some ideas here, does anyone know of any promising physics research areas that may blossom into high-impact industries? Can I do something important in physics without having a PhD? Do companies other than SpaceX respect ones want or need to self-study in order to get where they need to go outside the context of a degree-granting institution? I am willing to work all waking hours 5 days per week, but value my social life and want to have weekends off. How feasible would it be to find a teaching assistant position with some lab-work and use that and a lot of self-study to leap-frog myself into employment at a physics research lab or professorship? How realistic would it be to do that without being part of a degree program first? Ideally I would not be subject to the constraints of an institution, I could self-study the areas that I need to be successful. Does anyone have a suggestion for an option that I have not listed here that might fit the bill? I could use some guidance from someone who has a good amount of experience and that may have seen some non-traditional career pivots take place later in life, I am 31 and extremely motivated. Thanks and looking forward to chatting!Anthony

 

[Haborix]

If you want to go the academic route and become a tenure-track professor, you have, optimistically, a decade of graduate school and post docs to complete. And if you want to do physics graduate school you'll have to figure out how you will prove to schools that you can handle graduate physics courses. It sounds like you may have done most of the undergraduate physics curriculum, so that may not be a problem.

As for physicsy high technology, there is a pretty rich start-up environment (i.e., not just the big dogs) doing quantum computing. There is also a lot of work in what I'll call specialized computing hardware for AI computing. You seem interested in aerospace, but I don't know much about that to be able to help you there.

You could think about a getting a master degree in an EE department doing very physics-heavy work. Masters degrees in physics aren't really a terminal degree in US physics departments.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Your PhD thesis will not be "Understanding the Universe". It will be "The Spectrum of Glopolium".

Keep that in mind.

You are talking about entering a very competitive field, but are putting a lot of restrictions on it -0 such as "no weekends". That's tough. And then you want to make what you call "a big impact on humanity", something that only a small fraction of people even with your dream job manage to achieve. That's even tougher.

And, as pointed out, this time. A professor ship takes a year (guess) to catch up on a BS in physics, 7 years (average) for a PhD, and 2 three-year-postdocs. That's 13 years, or maybe 15 if you take weekends off. So you'll be ~46 when you start, and ~52 when you get tenure. You need to be OK with this.

 

[Slimy0233]

I do not have much to add but I feel like we might have to teach something to teach each other. I am 23 from India (it matters) and I am looking to pivot away from Physics after having dreamed of a career in physics for all my life. In fact I came here to ask for suggestions from physicists who know more about the field if quitting was the right option for me.

I feel like you asking question of "What can i do without a PhD in the field?" is quite right. But again, as Vanadium mentioned, there is a lot of competition in this field. But, even a small useful contribution made to Physics through publishing a paper becomes part of a continuum. It aids humanity in it's leap to the cosmos, it's fulfilling and it's meaningful, contributing to something better than oneself. But, I am not sure if it's worth it.

You have to sacrifice a lot of things to get good enough to write a paper and that to me comes at a great personal cost. I am not sure if it's worth it.

 

[CrysPhys]

I am looking for some advice (high-level-ish). I fundamentally enjoyed the subject material as an undergrad majoring in Physics. However, I ended up making a late change to Electrical Engineering for the sake of job applicability. I have worked as an engineer for a couple of firms but largely have not needed to leverage the fundamentally useful information that I have learned in either physics or EE. I am interested in finding a path to physics research, professorship, or entrepreneurship where I can apply skills and work on something that will have a big impact on humanity. Working in aerospace is definitely a possibility. I always had a knack for understanding and thinking things through at a fundamental level. I enjoy learning about what makes the universe tick and think it would be fundamentally exciting to have a career doing that or building systems to explore space.

<<Emphasis added.>> So why go the daunting physics route? E.g., why not go for a grad degree in EE (MS or PhD) and specialize in avionics?

 

[marcusl]

I don’t think becoming a physics professor at your age and with your lack of commitment to grinding long hours for years is realistic. If you are working in industry as an EE but aren’t using your knowledge base, then change jobs. A small company or startup might be your best bet because they typically need jacks-of-all-trades who can think creatively. Working long hours will be expected at a startup, however.

A Siemens or Lockheed-Martin is more likely to hire someone into a specific job description but better fits your lifestyle aspirations, and there is job mobility within the company if you are pushy about your goals. Note that most companies big or small will pay for you to attend university to work on an advanced degree, so long as it relates to your work (e.g., a PhD in Comparative Literature would be on your own dime).

 

[Lathropian]

If you want to go the academic route and become a tenure-track professor, you have, optimistically, a decade of graduate school and post docs to complete. And if you want to do physics graduate school you'll have to figure out how you will prove to schools that you can handle graduate physics courses. It sounds like you may have done most of the undergraduate physics curriculum, so that may not be a problem.

As for physicsy high technology, there is a pretty rich start-up environment (i.e., not just the big dogs) doing quantum computing. There is also a lot of work in what I'll call specialized computing hardware for AI computing. You seem interested in aerospace, but I don't know much about that to be able to help you there.

You could think about a getting a master degree in an EE department doing very physics-heavy work. Masters degrees in physics aren't really a terminal degree in US physics departments.

Great, thanks for the ideas! I think quantum computing could be a route that I am interesting in taking. What is the barrier to entry like in quantum/AI? I would be interested in a masters degree in EE as well.

 

[Lathropian]

Keep that in mind.

You are talking about entering a very competitive field, but are putting a lot of restrictions on it -0 such as "no weekends". That's tough. And then you want to make what you call "a big impact on humanity", something that only a small fraction of people even with your dream job manage to achieve. That's even tougher.

And, as pointed out, this time. A professor ship takes a year (guess) to catch up on a BS in physics, 7 years (average) for a PhD, and 2 three-year-postdocs. That's 13 years, or maybe 15 if you take weekends off. So you'll be ~46 when you start, and ~52 when you get tenure. You need to be OK with this.

I mean, I am not actually opposed to working weekends here and there. However, I believe there is more to life than just work and definitely want that to be more like the exception than the rule. I am thinking the professor route may be unrealistic based on the feedback I am getting here but we will see.

 

[Lathropian]

I do not have much to add but I feel like we might have to teach something to teach each other. I am 23 from India (it matters) and I am looking to pivot away from Physics after having dreamed of a career in physics for all my life. In fact I came here to ask for suggestions from physicists who know more about the field if quitting was the right option for me.

I feel like you asking question of "What can i do without a PhD in the field?" is quite right. But again, as Vanadium mentioned, there is a lot of competition in this field. But, even a small useful contribution made to Physics through publishing a paper becomes part of a continuum. It aids humanity in it's leap to the cosmos, it's fulfilling and it's meaningful, contributing to something better than oneself. But, I am not sure if it's worth it.

You have to sacrifice a lot of things to get good enough to write a paper and that to me comes at a great personal cost. I am not sure if it's worth it.

I think that's a great perspective, what has your experience in physics been like so far?

 

[Lathropian]

<<Emphasis added.>> So why go the daunting physics route? E.g., why not go for a grad degree in EE (MS or PhD) and specialize in avionics?

I could definitely do that. I really just enjoyed the physics course material, it was so pure and at the time seemed so satisfying to learn which isn't everything but it's a big part of ones career.

 

[Lathropian]

I don’t think becoming a physics professor at your age and with your lack of commitment to grinding long hours for years is realistic. If you are working in industry as an EE but aren’t using your knowledge base, then change jobs. A small company or startup might be your best bet because they typically need jacks-of-all-trades who can think creatively. Working long hours will be expected at a startup, however.

A Siemens or Lockheed-Martin is more likely to hire someone into a specific job description but better fits your lifestyle aspirations, and there is job mobility within the company if you are pushy about your goals. Note that most companies big or small will pay for you to attend university to work on an advanced degree, so long as it relates to your work (e.g., a PhD in Comparative Literature would be on your own dime).

I am not opposed to working long hours. Realistically, I am willing to work anywhere from 8-12 hours per day on weekdays, weekends here and there. Siemens or Lockheed-Martin sound like good options. Thank you!