Physics Graduate in Computer can be theoretical Physicist?

[harsh2009]

Hi friends,
I am Harsh kumar from India. I am a computer graduate, with a good sense of district Mathematics. I always want to be an theoretical physicist but i unfortunately ended with computer graduation due to my personal reasons I am physically handicap, never mind that, but as my life leads me my love of physics increases day by day second by second. even I have no science background at academic level. So what I am trying to say If there is any way, no matter how hard it could be! to be a pioneer in physics.

your words could transform my life so be sensible and if you could please guide my life.
I explored every corner of the internet to find the desirable answer.

My age is only 24, and i am bachelor in computer application.

 

[fss]

If you have no physics education or training you should probably work on that first.

 

[Rika]

But you won't become theoretical physicist because more or less there are no jobs for one. What can you do is to go work for finance as programmer which you can more or less do with your current degree.

Ofc you can let's say get PhD in Physics and then work for free as researcher while earning your living by a crappy job. But:

1) If you are handicaped you probably need more money than regular human

2) Crappy jobs aren't suited for handicaped people because they require physical labour

So unless your programming skills are so high that you can live by contracts (which means working hard 1-3 month per year on a contract and then you get free time to use it as researcher) then there is no way to become theoretical physicist.

What you can do is:

1. Learn which IT technology is rare, rather hard to learn and well-paid and can be well-paid in future.
2. Work your *** to master this technology.
3. At the age of 30-35 you should be skilled enough to get contracts.
4. Go to a country where costs of living are low and get your PhD there (I strongly recommend EU because education there is free or cheap and thanks to Bologna System you can earn your master degree in physics (2 years) after cs degree and then get your PhD (4 years) which is 6 years (or 7 if you need extra year for additional courses)).
5. Work for free as a researcher there and live by contracts.

 

[harsh2009]

But you won't become theoretical physicist because more or less there are no jobs for one. What can you do is to go work for finance as programmer which you can more or less do with your current degree.

Ofc you can let's say get PhD in Physics and then work for free as researcher while earning your living by a crappy job. But:

1) If you are handicaped you probably need more money than regular human

2) Crappy jobs aren't suited for handicaped people because they require physical labour

So unless your programming skills are so high that you can live by contracts (which means working hard 1-3 month per year on a contract and then you get free time to use it as researcher) then there is no way to become theoretical physicist.

What you can do is:

1. Learn which IT technology is rare, rather hard to learn and well-paid and can be well-paid in future.
2. Work your *** to master this technology.
3. At the age of 30-35 you should be skilled enough to get contracts.
4. Go to a country where costs of living are low and get your PhD there (I strongly recommend EU because education there is free or cheap and thanks to Bologna System you can earn your master degree in physics (2 years) after cs degree and then get your PhD (4 years) which is 6 years (or 7 if you need extra year for additional courses)).
5. Work for free as a researcher there and live by contracts.

well sorry to say i really dislike you approach, i did not said that you decisions. Sorry again, i will not cross my limits as you reply you best opinion but its very dark in shade.

 

[Rika]

well sorry to say i really dislike you approach, i did not said that you decisions. Sorry again, i will not cross my limits as you reply you best opinion but its very dark in shade.

It's not "dark" because I'm terrible person but because that's how reality looks like. It's not like it's impossible for you but it's impossible for everyone because in current economy there are no permanent jobs for theoretical physicists. Which means you will do let's say 7-10 years of PhD education and another 6 years of postdocs (temporary, underpaid positions) and then you'll need to find normal job because no one is going to hire 40+ as a postdoc.

Most theoretical physicists work in finance as programmers which you can do with your current degree.

If you really want to work in physics then:

1) Give up on theory. Do your masters and PhD in some hot, applied topic. Even if you don't find a job in academia you'll do research in industry.

2) Like I said - do Physics as a hobby. In classical mechanics era there was no such a job as "physicist". Most "physicists" from that time had regular non-physics job which paid well enough to do some physics as a hobby. And yet they have managed to become pioneers.

I still believe that starting your career as a researcher at the age of 40 (even if you work for free) is much better than giving up physics for good and doing sth else for the rest of your life.

And one peace of advice - if you want to go into Physics because you want to be a pioneer, forget about it. Being a pioneer is not only a matter of talent, skill and hard work but also you need to be born in good time, be in good place and have a lot of luck on your side.