16-Year-Old Looking for Math/Physics Job

[oceania]

i hope you won't go to a manufacture,it's to tired,i think every young must have their own beautiful sky,a buautiful past.soi hope you won't go to a manufacturer.

 

[swat4life]

I would also look into tutoring your fellow high school students. You can charge 10-12 dollars an hour, much cheaper than tutoring from a physics teacher or a physics grad student.

I don't want to pick on the original poster, but you mentioned a theory on QM and GR, you list that in your About Me. I really want to stress that a theory has to make predictions that are testable against experimental data. For this reason, I like many others do not consider string theory a true "theory" as it does not make any predictions that are testable or that are falsifiable.

Well last time I heard, they've made great progress with the effort to test the theory and collect some form of experimental data. Brian Greene talked about it in the 2008 TED conference.



If you're interested in String Theory kid, by all means delve deep. You could find out something that no one else does - remember always, "question everything" even the so called "facts". This is not being a fashionable iconoclast but rather striving to discover the glorious truth - IMHO and with all do respect to the poster above.

Also, forgive me for saying this but don't be so impressionable. If you have an interest in something, don't "change your dreams" based on what one person might say. You could well be headed to Aula Magna one day (the hall where the Nobel Prize winner(s) in physics give their customary talk each year at Stockholm University) - stranger things have happened ;)

 

[chiro]

If everyone is telling you the same thing, have you considered the possibility that they are correct?

Lots of people used to say the world was flat but it doesn't mean that they were correct either

 

[Vanadium 50]

Lots of people used to say the world was flat but it doesn't mean that they were correct either

Do you have a specific objection to what I said?

 

[DukeofDuke]

I know I can be arrogant sometimes, so, I'm sorry. In whatever defense you will allow me to have, I was somehow being attacked by 2-3 different people when I posted all of that, and I don't respond politely under pressure.

Dude, trust me, there's good reason for this. I just finished my first year mechanics course and E&M at college, forget all the names of fancy theories and big words you know, the one thing I've learned is that talking physics without calculus is like trying to count without numbers. Its just not possible. English is not the language of physics. Math is. You can't speak math yet, so you don't know ANY physics. Sure, you know names, so does everyone. The think is that without mathematics its so utterly pointless to talk about the things you're talking about that the other posters are just in awe at your ignorance.

Not at your lack of knowledge, not that kind of ignorance. But at your ignorance of your own ignorance. Saying you understand anything about Physics with precalculus is having an extreme lack of knowledge of your own ignorance, and THAT's what's pissing everyone off. Plus they've seen enough crackpot google theorists to not tolerate it anymore.

Hey, you probably know more names of theories than me, almost guaranteed. But without calculus, you wouldn't last two seconds against me in an actual test of physics knowledge, of understanding. So, are you surprised that the professionals on this site are getting pissed, when they literally understand things several thousand times better than me? Even I'm laughing at you a bit, and you will too in a couple of years once you start learning how much you have to learn. Dude, it is IMPOSSIBLE to understand ANYTHING about Physics without mathematical knowledge of say Maxwell's Equations, and the more you think about the equations, the more you learn. Those things are beasts and contain the roots of practically everything you study in undergrad, however I guarantee they're mumbo jumbo without math.

I'm not much older than you man, we're in the same boat here. Only difference is that I learned, finally, something Feynman knew earlier than both of us: "I learned very early the difference between knowing the name of something and knowing something."

 

[tormund]

hey all!
whatz with you all badgering him!
its not the end of the world if he doesn't know everything there is to know, he's just trying to get a job to help out his family for cryin out loud.
begs the question, how much did you know about physics when u were sixteen?
he's not expected to know everything.
tor

Exercise hard, eat right, die anyway.

 

[DukeofDuke]

hey all!
whatz with you all badgering him!
its not the end of the world if he doesn't know everything there is to know, he's just trying to get a job to help out his family for cryin out loud.
begs the question, how much did you know about physics when u were sixteen?
he's not expected to know everything.
tor

Exercise hard, eat right, die anyway.

I think it was the part where he went all "do you have any physics maths jobs, because I can assure you I'm qualified" that got people mad. I mean, it got me a little annoyed considering how useless I am going to be in most physics and mathematics fields for the next couple of years even though I study my *** off in uni =D

 

[Skins]

I'm a 16 year old high school student, and I really need money (for family support). I've been wondering, is there any kind of job where I could work in the area of math or physics? (By the way, I assure you I'd be qualified.) I'm already pulling a job at Hy-Vee, but I'm not a blue collar person. Is there some sort of internship that I'm missing, or am I pretty much doomed?

Thanks in advance.

Okay, I've been following this thread for a spell. Here's my take.

First. I can identify with what you are saying. When I was 16 and in high school I was very interested in math, chemistry and physics. I had learned a little math, physics and chem, I did some reading and learning on my own in addition to what I was taught in school, I had discussions with people who worked in the various sciences as professors, teachers, engineers, computer pro's, etc. I too felt it would be great if I could land some sort of job where I can work in one of these professions as opposed to working in a supermarket or a Burger King, or any of the other jobs that were common for people of my age.

One thing I learned quickly. Without any college under your belt you can pretty much forget about landing any kind of professional science / math job. Since I didn't care for supermarkets or Burger King's I took a job with a roofer in NYC and spent most of my time filling and hauling tar buckets, helping with the rigging and scaffolding, hauling drums or paint, tools, etc.

Once I got into college the job landscape changed. After completing my freshman year there were actual openings in the science and math related professions. My first job was a part time work-study program as a lab technician at a prominent company that does food research. After completing my second year of college I was able to land a job as an Engineering Specialist with a company that designed and built electrochemical systems. I had my own desk and I worked under the direction of a Ph.D Chemist/Engineer carrying out tests, experiments, writing reports, and conferring with the scientists and engineers. A little bit of college opened a lot of doors for me. And while the work was still not as challenging as I might have wished it to be, it was still nice to be in a professional job.

As far as my major in college I did an undergrad degree in Mathematics and went on to do graduate work in Math. Over the years my strong math background has enabled me to work in a wide range of industries such as, Information technology, Science and Engineering, Finance, Insurance, Government, and Education.

My advice to you is to hang in their. Don't get discouraged. You have a long way to go. Don't expect to find a job in math or science until you get at least some college under your belt. Work at whatever you can work at for now. Make the best of it. It may not be the kind of challenging and exciting work you would like but for the time being its work. it's a step we all had to go through. Focus on finishing high school, getting good grades and set your sights on getting into a good college for Math and/or Science. Once in college get that Math down. calculus, Linear & Abstract Algebra, Probability Theory, Numerican Analyisis, etc. are all applicable to the wide variety of ideas and problems you will encounter in your professional carreer. Work hard, don't give up and stay focused and I'm sure you'll be okay. Oh, and yes, be confident. One of my weaker points has always been lack of confidence in myself. It has worked against me at times. Don't let it work against you.

Be patient. that interesting/challenging/rewarding professional career is out there for you. You just need some time and some added experience, i.e. College , to open the doors.

 

[Wellesley]

Okay, I've been following this thread for a spell. Here's my take.

First. I can identify with what you are saying. When I was 16 and in high school I was very interested in math, chemistry and physics. I had learned a little math, physics and chem, I did some reading and learning on my own in addition to what I was taught in school, I had discussions with people who worked in the various sciences as professors, teachers, engineers, computer pro's, etc. I too felt it would be great if I could land some sort of job where I can work in one of these professions as opposed to working in a supermarket or a Burger King, or any of the other jobs that were common for people of my age.

One thing I learned quickly. Without any college under your belt you can pretty much forget about landing any kind of professional science / math job. Since I didn't care for supermarkets or Burger King's I took a job with a roofer in NYC and spent most of my time filling and hauling tar buckets, helping with the rigging and scaffolding, hauling drums or paint, tools, etc.

Once I got into college the job landscape changed. After completing my freshman year there were actual openings in the science and math related professions. My first job was a part time work-study program as a lab technician at a prominent company that does food research. After completing my second year of college I was able to land a job as an Engineering Specialist with a company that designed and built electrochemical systems. I had my own desk and I worked under the direction of a Ph.D Chemist/Engineer carrying out tests, experiments, writing reports, and conferring with the scientists and engineers. A little bit of college opened a lot of doors for me. And while the work was still not as challenging as I might have wished it to be, it was still nice to be in a professional job.

As far as my major in college I did an undergrad degree in Mathematics and went on to do graduate work in Math. Over the years my strong math background has enabled me to work in a wide range of industries such as, Information technology, Science and Engineering, Finance, Insurance, Government, and Education.

My advice to you is to hang in their. Don't get discouraged. You have a long way to go. Don't expect to find a job in math or science until you get at least some college under your belt. Work at whatever you can work at for now. Make the best of it. It may not be the kind of challenging and exciting work you would like but for the time being its work. it's a step we all had to go through. Focus on finishing high school, getting good grades and set your sights on getting into a good college for Math and/or Science. Once in college get that Math down. calculus, Linear & Abstract Algebra, Probability Theory, Numerican Analyisis, etc. are all applicable to the wide variety of ideas and problems you will encounter in your professional carreer. Work hard, don't give up and stay focused and I'm sure you'll be okay. Oh, and yes, be confident. One of my weaker points has always been lack of confidence in myself. It has worked against me at times. Don't let it work against you.

Be patient. that interesting/challenging/rewarding professional career is out there for you. You just need some time and some added experience, i.e. College , to open the doors.

Very well put ! I think that was great advice.