Recent content by plasmon_shmasmon

I'm here to ask, in the most friendly way, why? Why do you want to go to grad school? Your recovery, self-care, and introspection are commendable. Seriously, good for you for finding work doing what you like and focusing on your interests. Please keep it up. I also want to know how physics...

I just want to say that you can still pursue these things if you come up with a solid plan (but maybe this internship that you've mentioned is not part of it?). College is not the only way to learn these skills, nor does it have to be the end of the road for your personal education. A solid...

Well, first a couple of questions: What year are you in undergrad (senior)? What jobs did you have previously (anything relevant that you could continue to pursue)? What other recommenders could you possibly have (grad student TAs, work study boss, anyone)? What do you want to do with your life...

Wow, thanks for your replies...they were surprisingly touching (e.g., @George Jones). That's why I like coming here! I hadn't considered giving it to someone, that's pretty amazing. If I ever did that, it would have to be my wife. I started grad school a little later, the summer after we got...

A plasmon is a collective oscillation of free electrons, occurring in metals and metal-like materials. There are different types of plasmons. Bulk plasmons are collective oscillations of the "bulk" 3D electron gas...that is, the electrons in the material that do not "sense" the surface. Then...

Hi All! Having successfully defended my dissertation this fall, I've graduated and will be receiving my PhD diploma in January. How have you all displayed your diplomas (if at all)? If you work in a technical field, do you display it at work? Did you hang it in a home office? Is it safely in...

I've been following this for a bit. I think the lessons to learn come partly from posts #191 and #197-199. In general, one should try to be positive and look for things to gain from every experience. And it takes some thoughtfulness to spin your experiences into an effective resume. To bring it...

What I think @symbolipoint is getting at is, what do you want to do with your love of physics? There is more that you can do with yourself than getting degrees, although that is the first step. But if you become too focused on the "steps" then you will lose sight of what you are walking towards...

Going with the sports theme, getting good at physics is like going to the gym. You need to do it everyday, and you may not realize the gains until much later. You can increase your skill by practicing more physics. And I truly mean practicing, not just reading. If you want more motivation, try...

THIS. I think your university probably matters less than your GPA and Physics GRE score. You want to absolutely nail the Physics GRE regardless of your other qualifications. The Physics GRE will also tell you if you're ready for grad school, in some ways. Take a practice test and see how you...

UM, this an overwhelming post. You DO NOT need to know all of this math before starting to learn physics. In fact, a lot of what was mentioned can be derived based on a simpler basis of knowledge (submultiple angles...really?). And a lot of these topics can be learned concurrently. OP, what you...

Maybe work in industry and see if they will pay your way to a Masters? This could also give you more perspective on which degree route to follow.

I generally agree with this advice. I think making yourself a fixture of the department and making sure you are there every day is important for your motivation. We don't often talk about how important personal connections are for making it through the degree. It's a way to commiserate about the...

I used to feel this way, like it was cheating to always know the answer that you were working to derive. But after practicing physics a lot more, I realize that this is kind of how it works. Much of the time you know or have a feeling of what the answer should look like, or how it should behave...

Knowing this is great! There were so many times when I was teaching physics where I wish I could have said "well, just write your equations in the form of a matrix and solve it, etc.." Even though this sometimes takes longer, I like the methodology...there are less ways to go wrong. So don't be...