Research Definition and 998 Threads

I am an undergrad physics major at a US university. I plan on attending grad school for condensed matter physics, so I've been looking for research opportunities here. There is limited condensed matter research, however, and most of it is done through the materials science/engineering...

I really want to start doing some undergraduate research (Physics major, Math minor, 2nd year of Physics classes starting now) and I have no idea what they want to hear from me in any personal statements. For example, one of them just asks "How do you think this research experience might further...

I'm a highly determined (and slightly stubborn) high school freshman who wants to learn enough mathematics to conduct mathematics research with a mentor. Looking on the internet, I found a program called MIT Primes, where students can be matched with graduate students/professors at MIT to...

Greetings! My name is Emma Watson. I am From USA. I am Editor at The New Time Magazine. I plan to do some research in Physics. I look forward in participating with this society and share some valuable topics with other members. Thanks Emma Watson

As a fresh pure math phd student, I aim to become a mathematical physicist, and currently I try to schedule out what I should do step by step in this four years on phd program. But in my university, there is no professor in this field could help me as my advisor. So I wish to get some advice...

I have managed to raise funds over the summer to run a successful experiment on campus and the results are pointing towards some interesting phenomena that warrant further study. I have considered crowdsourcing to raise more capital to further the project but wonder if any of you have...

Hello, I’m doing my first year of bachelor degree in physics in Italy and I would really like to get some research experience before my third year. Do you know any (international) summer research opportunity for a physics student who completed his first or second year of studies? I would be ok...

http://www.sciencemag.org/content/349/6251/aac4716 Science 28 August 2015: Vol. 349 no. 6251 DOI: 10.1126/science.aac4716 Nosek B. , et al., Estimating the reproducibility of psychological science 35 of 97 reports of statistically significant results published in three major psychology...

Hi, I am in my first year of M.Sc. in physics. I want to pursue a research in Photonics after my Post-Graduation. i am really passionate about Physics and research... but unfortunately there is nobody to guide me in the proper way... i want to pursue research in Photonics in some of the top...

Hello everyone, It's my first time posting, so I hope everyone is doing well. I am looking for some help for a high school research paper/lab I'm currently working on. Basically, I am investigating how the varying air pressures of different baseball parks have an effect on the distance traveled...

A. Would it be suboptimal to do research with a professor without being registered for "research" or "independent studies"? B. Furthermore, would it look bad if I took a "returning researcher" position such that I was asked to come back after my summer internship on weekends (twice a month) to...

Hi, I'm doing a history of Maths related EPQ. I've written a questionnaire to collect data I need for the project; all I need now are people to answer it. It's only 4 questions long so it shouldn't take more than 5 mins. The link is below. Mathematical Developments before 1900 - Project...

I'm 15 years old and very good at solving hard logic problems. I know a little bit about college mathematics and physics, so I want to write papers. After thinking a lot I think Applied Physics is a relative new area that has a lot opportunities, so I want to do research in it. What should I do...

Hi, thanks for your anwsers. I wanted to be successful since I was born. I'm 15 years old and I can't wait. I know Calculus, a bit of Multivariable C., advanced classical mechanics, and a bit of quantum mechanics (all those in mitOCW). I'm not going to lie, I want to solve the P=NP problem. The...

How many years does a postdoc have to spent active in researches before he can attain a full position as a professor and has his own laboratory? Not too long ago I found a PhD thesis of my current group leader, it was written in 2000 or so and now (after 14 years) he has become a prof and has...

Greetings all, Just thought I'd hear you out on a decision I'm trying to make before applying to graduate school this fall, however going to keep it vague so it doesn't come around to bite me in the butt. I did an REU in physics sub-field A at a school which is #1 in the nation for sub-field...

If I were to do research in fluid mechanics with a geologist, would this be looked down upon by grad programs if I went into, say astrophysics or HEP? I don't know what I want to specialize in yet?

There are a lot of Q&A about research in physics here. I'd like to know more about examples of your own career path. Did you change your subject, how did it work out? Did you do work mostly independently, and if so, when did you start? How did you pick your school? I'm a 23 years old physics...

How exactly should an undergraduate approach a professor to ask about research opportunities? Would it be preferable to send an email or go talk about it during their office hours? A call perhaps? Also, out of curiosity, is it annoying when an undergraduate wants to do research in math? In...

I am new to this, and not understanding discrete math very well. This is one of my week 4 discussion questions. If someone could help me apply this to a life situation so I could understand this question better, please? I am a CNC Mill machinist, and I understand programming a computerized...

Hello everyone, Can anyone assist me with the following; I have derived some very interesting cosmological quantities within regard to radiation as it moves through space. I am looking for someone trustworthy who can help me verify my work and point me in the right direction without claiming...

I'd like to learn how I can better understand research papers/scientific studies, judge the quality, the methods used, find out who funded it, etc. I'm a layperson. In researching various topics, especially controversial subjects, I try to find the actual scientific papers behind everything...

The university I go to offers a lot of undergrad research opportunities and I am currently trying to get one. I read about every physics professor in the department that does research and then I read some of their papers and researched them some more. I narrowed it down to a group of about five...

Hi, I am approaching my A-levels in 1 time (currently in Year 11) , and so I would have to pick my A-level subjects which will then lead me on to my University (2 years later). I am practically obsessed with Theoretical Physics and I have already learned high-level mathematics and so on, not to...

Hello, I am considering to do a phD in solar panels, because it seems to connect areas I've been studying for a while. I am almost a chemical Engineer with master in physics and Science/Technology Bachelor. I'd like to do some on solar panels connected to physics, like quantum dot or something...

Should I opt to do research which would be very time consuming or focus primarily on my remaining upper level this year and get As? Thinking to do research after I graduate next Summer. I've only had 1 "REU" so far.

Hey all, I'm a math and physics graduate who will be starting math grad school in a little over a month, and, though I know I have time to decide, I'm a bit conflicted about what to concentrate in. I'm broadly interested in the applications of math in physics. Specifically, I've always had...

Friends, I want to compare two different treatment protocols for effective pain management. I'm going to follow up the patients at regular interval of time and compare the data. So, what kind of study should I do? prospective cohort study? How should I choose the variables? There can be...

I think this is the best forum to post in, if not, feel free to move it (maybe career guidance?). Over the course of my undergrad/grad studies I have found that I never look back at notes that I take. This is almost certainly a problem -- not in that I get all my info from books, but rather...

I'm a high school student and I've been an intern at a university for a couple of weeks. We do research and things like that in physics and astronomy. I've realized that research is something that takes a long time and is frustrating, but at the end result is usually enjoyable? Is this true...

I was unable to fit any more details into the title. I'm a rising junior undergraduate electrical engineering student. My primary research interests (at the moment) are Electromagnetics, plasmas, solid state devices--pretty much any field with a heavy physics overlap. Unfortunately, none of the...

After asking a professor about undergraduate research on Friday, I received a positive reply that very evening. The professor also asked me to send him my CV. Hovewer, it would take me some time to make it. Would it be ok to send the CV on Monday, or is it rude to take more time than him to reply?

Dear Physics Forum advisers, I am a rising college junior (five-years tract) with a major in mathematics and an aspiring mathematician in the fields of theoretical computing and cryptography. I apologize for this sudden interruption but I wrote this email to seek your advice on the impact of...

Hello all, I have a below 3.0 GPA, but am interested in doing any type of research / internship / co-op in some type of lab. I'm not particularly picky at this point, I just want to get some experience. I am looking for a position for FALL. I am a junior in college but am not attending in Fall...

So I'm sitting on a happy GPA and an acceptance letter to transfer to a nice school for the rest of my undergrad, my dreams of a PhD looking bright, and this terror just grips me like a swimsuit out of water. I've never actually talked to a professor about how research works. I've read a lot...

I'm currently a graduate student in Finland and I'll be moving abroad to study for an MPhil degree. I have knowledge of space plasma physics and computational physics, since I have worked in that field, and some basic knowledge of cosmology. I wanted to ask for advice on how smart it is for one...

Questions for all the professors on this site: Have you ever been approached by an undergrad for a research position who has already read at least a few of your published works and has a very basic understanding of their contents? How does this student look in your eyes? Does it creep you out...

I really like mathematics, physics, and programming/simulation/computer modeling. I want to try my hand at physics research. However, I don't want to build sensors or spend most of my time building experiments. I really like coding and data analysis. I am thinking that astrophysics research...

I've been reading many of these forums regarding students with low GPAs, or low GRE scores, etc., but I am in a slightly different situation. I am about to head into my senior year of undergrad and will receive a physics BS and an applied math BS. My GPA isn't much better than a 3.0, which it...

Hi:), I'm doing the IB and I'm doing my extended essay(EE) in physics. I've thought of so many questions and I even started experimenting on a few but they haven't really worked out. I was doing one recently(the effect of the length of a pendulum on its time period) but apparently, I won't be...

Fall internships for undergraduates? I have myself in quite the pickle. I'm entering my senior year of college pursuing a BS in Physics and a minor in Math. I go to a small university near LA. I was just offered a paid internship across the country by NASA for this upcoming fall. Of course I...

I'm more looking for fields in hardware side (Electrical Engineering) than software (Computer Engineering) here. I know to some extent but wanted everyone to share their knowledge on this. Here's the few that I think will massively effect the world of technology in the near future (Pardon my...

I got accepted into a nice university not to long ago. I have been a cc student for 2 years, making me a transfer student. I will be studying physics and i would really like to be involved in RUE's/Research Groups/Research in General. My only problem is, i have no clue on who to approach, who...

OK.. I guess I am going to get a lot of flak and suspicion for asking this as I have to bring up here an unusual situation. But opportunities have arisen unexpectedly for my stage of career, and I am getting a lot of contradicting advice/opinions. I am 2nd year undergraduate from the UK and...

I am an Engineering Physics student with a concentration in Spacecraft Systems. I am more or less quite new to Physics and Engineering and have only completed introductory physics courses (class mechanics, optics, thermo, EM) and am starting Modern Physics in the fall. I have for some time...

A few of my lecturers have told me that most working physicists, half of the time, don't even understand what they're doing. They work through the calculations but have no idea of the significance of what they're doing or why it's important. Do you think this is true?

ZapperZ submitted a new PF Insights post Research Work and The Lab Book Continue reading the Original PF Insights Post.

Hi everyone, Im from India, a country where the general line careers won't fetch luxury or good financial stability. After doing bachelors in Physics, what are the options open for me other than the teaching profession or Ph.D.? I also need to keep in mind about the financial security while...

ZapperZ submitted a new PF Insights post Initiating Research Work Continue reading the Original PF Insights Post.

Hi Guys, I'm looking for a good text on operations research and modelling. Specifically, I want to look at developing models for transportation and inventory management. Any good books that you would recommend? Thanks,