Recent content by dp647

You are correct that the jobs I'm looking at have no need for a PhD, and that there is a whole other basket of jobs where a physics PhD provides distinct advantages. I believe the obstacle, for a lack of a better wording, is the likely reality that I do not possess the skills that are typically...

Indeed, the effect AI will have on what qualifications I have to bring to the table is the intimidating part for me. During my undergrad, it seemed (as @bhobba above alluded to) that having very basic coding skills atop a physics background was sufficient to get an entry-level job involving...

This may be a dumb question, but how would people here approach answering the "career plans" questions that I mentioned are present in my Student Progress Report? In particular, these are the following pair of questions: 1. Briefly summarize your career-related goals and/or career...

Thank you for the information. I will look into the APS career mentoring program, as it sounds useful and relevant.

I appreciate everyone here taking time to write out such thoughtful responses. However, without sounding ungrateful, I do think the conversation is steering somewhat away from what I had intended. I have heard much about imposter syndrome, building up resilience to it, and continuing to work...

On the topic of qualification exams, I will be taking mine in about a month's time. Although, at my institution they are treated more as a formality, where you do mini-projects assigned by your committee members and present your results. This is probably due to being surrounded by very...

Yes, I should have been clearer and said I meant what hard skills she brought to the table. I understand that her soft skills in language/culture were invaluable for getting the position.

Thank you for your detailed replies. Regarding this, do you know what pluses this AMO person brought to the table? I guess I still don't understand how one evaluates their qualifications for consulting. It's more formulaic for something like data science, where I can say I need to know Python...

Is the USPTO not something one can self-study for, like the LSAT? As a separate question, I have heard that patent agents (not attorneys) are under threat, or otherwise under pressure, from AI. The reason given is that the work of an agent does not carry the same legal liabilities as that of an...

Regarding shortchanging abilities or knowledge, I do not believe so; what I have written is my dispassionate analysis of things. Regarding personal attributes, I desperately hope so; that's my last card to play. Interest is a tricky thing. I think a person needs a sense of safety and...

I have used AI in getting the at-a-glance overview of what someone in my research area might go on to do. However, the key problem is precisely what I pointed to in my post: what Gemini wrote carries many unstated assumptions about what I know and can do. If I constrain myself to speak no...

In my estimation, yes, that is true to a great extent. The one thing I can see myself potentially being qualified for, in my current state, is as a math/physics tutor. I don't feel like I came away from my education thus far with anything tangible beyond that, even with straight A's. As you...

Yes.

The first is a tricky one; I’ve always found it hard to put into words what I like and why. If I approach it from the structured view of specific courses I enjoyed in undergrad, then in no particular order these are the following: intermediate classical mechanics, complex analysis, Buddhist...

I feel quite lost with regard to forming any sort of career plan at the moment. Right now, I’m at the start of my 4th year as a Physics PhD student at a good school (one of the Ivies). My work so far has been in theoretical condensed matter physics (cold atom gases in optical cavities). I think...