Applied Physics/Engineering for Research

[bomanimc]

Hello. I am a senior in high school who is looking for some guidance deciding on what would best suit my interests. I would like to work with a national lab or something along those lines in the future.

I think that construction of particle accelerators, laser experimentation and electronics, condensed matter, and biophysics would also be cool fields of work.

What engineering fields of study would be ideal for me if I want to do research rather than working in the industry? Would these fields be better suited for a person with degree in Applied Physics? What do you guys think?
Thanks!

{Extra Info about me if you want it:
Currently, I do research in quantitative biology and biomedical engineering at Vanderbilt University. I have worked on robotics competitions and I am the president of a robotics club at my school. I definitely enjoy doing physics and I feel that it is very interesting and cool. I took AP Physics B, but only made a 4 on the exam. I am not necessarily the best a physics, but I do think it is one subject that I would be willing to work on to no end in order to become more competent. Currently, I am taking AP Physics C, AP Calculus AB, and AP Computer Science. I have also taken AP Environmental Science (5) and AP English Langauge (5). }

 

[R.Mesri]

If you are interested in working with a national lab or research facility, a degree in Applied Physics would be a great choice. It would give you a good foundation in physics and help you understand the basics of how things work on a more fundamental level. Additionally, it will provide you with the practical skills necessary to carry out experiments and build prototypes. You could also consider specifically focusing on fields such as particle accelerators, laser experimentation and electronics, condensed matter, and biophysics. This would allow you to have a more specialized knowledge that could be used in research and development of new technologies.