Recent content by nuclear85

Nuclear physics generally leads to something like high energy physics or accelerator physics. That's not to say it's purely academic, but the application is not *usually* fusion, in the commerical energy sense. If I understand your first question properly, you want to do fusion research; that...

If you really mean nuclear physics, not that. If you mean nuclear engineering, you could go either way. There are lots of engineering and materials issues with fusion, while plasma physics is perhaps the more direct path, but more limiting if you're unable to find funding in fusion research. It...

You could do both. Some people really do two projects during the PhD... one they are funded by, and one they are interested in. That's not exactly your situation, because you don't *need* funding, but it is a possible solution. It requires a lot of extra work, but if you are really passionate...

There are LOTS of opportunities for computational work. Don't worry about that.

I'm in nuclear materials. When I started the program (nuclear engineering), I didn't have much background in materials (my undergrad was physics), so I don't think it's a big problem. You're expected to do some learning at grad school! It shouldn't be surprising that people involved in...

What is the difference between the (110) plane and the (-1-10) plane? What about the (-110) plane and the (110) plane? NOTE: This is a question for the OP to think about, not something I actually want other posters to answer!

Ok, thanks guys. Vanadium, I know "we" is first person. I was just referring (apparently unclearly) to fact that "we" seems more acceptable than "I" for some reason, even though both are first person. Also, I know it's customary to write in passive voice, but I'm not sure I agree with that...

Writing a research proposal for a postdoc fellowship... I'm not sure how personal to make it. I want to convince the reviewers that it's *me* who has the expertise to do this project, but I'm uncomfortable with too much first person (especially when it's "I" instead of "we"). For example...

It's ok. It won't make or break you. If you get a D or an F, maybe. But a B is fine.

There are some posts about this already. I can't be bothered to do the search for you though... My answer is yes and no. Yes, I was often the only female, or one of just a few, in some of my science and engineering classes. No, that didn't lead to it being "2.5 times harder" that it would be. I...

I'm not saying it's necessarily good for society, just that it is a force to be considered when formulating your plan. That said, I'm not against highly trained professionals being well paid. But more importantly, I would also question the assumption that it is the lack of available doctors...

You can't expand the supply of available positions in med school just by subsidizing them. If students were paid to go to medical school, there would just be a whole lot more people applying. Plus, you need actual doctors to teach all these new students, and actual hospitals for them to finish...

If you just want to pursue it as a hobby, you don't necessarily need to understand all of those concepts before even starting to read about QM... it could potentially turn you off to a really interesting subject because it seems more like work. There are lots of pop physics books that are really...

As so many classes do, it's going to depend on the professors... there is no standard for making something an 'honors' class; it varies tremendously between schools, and even within schools. They could end up being more or less identical classes. Or, the honors one could be incredibly proof...

Hercuflea, I sent you a PM.