A difficult choice - General Relativity or Dark Matter....

[DrSuage]

Hi all,

I've just been made offers to two different institutions - one to study General Relativity and Early Universe Cosmology, and one to study particle physics phenomenology and dark matter at PhD level, and I'm having a hard time choosing!

Relativity and Cosmology is Queen Mary University of London
Dark Matter is Royal Holloway University of London

Which would you choose? Why?

I'm currently leaning towards GR but its a really tough decision as it will massively affect the trajectory of my potential career.

Your collective thoughts will be much appreciated. Ta

 

[Megaquark]

A lot of it depends upon your career goals. What's your long term plan?

 

[DrSuage]

In a dream world I'd like to get a postdoc and continue doing research - I do understand that the numbers aren't good in that respect but if you don't try, you can't succeed.

Arghghghghghghg... at the start of this year I would have taken dark matter no question, but I've really enjoyed my GR recently and have massively expanded my repertoire in Differential Geometry and really enjoyed that too...

 

[Megaquark]

What's your backup plan if research doesn't pan out? I'd imagine that GR involves a lot of computer modelling and programming, so that could be useful in some potential alternate careers. If you're more on the experimental and equipment side of physics, particle physics might land you a good job at a nuclear power plant or something.

 

[DrSuage]

Both are theoretical projects, and I imagine both will involve significant amounts of programming.

If research doesn't work out, then I'd probably try to get a job in the Financial tech sector - maybe coding or numerical modelling.