Industrial grad degrees with a physics bs

[marmot]

I am studying physics and I love it. However, I think I am not cut for academia's cutthroat atmosphere, nor am I smart enough for it. I was wondering for other grad degrees that offer a stable job and a stable salary while still doing the stuff I like. I read about medical physics, which seems not a bad idea. I also read about biomedical engineering, which accepts a lot of physics students. Any more suggestions? There is also nuclear engineering but I don't like the possibility that I might contribute to the murder of children.

 

[short circut]

Medical physics is a wonderful carrer choice. Lots of money available, and decent demand if you do well in graduate studies. Unfortunately for me it in no way interests me, but we are talking about you. I would recommend choosing what interests you the most... And nuclear engineering should not lead to the death of children unless you go into weapons development. Just look around. And have you considered IT.

 

[lax1113]

Nuclear engineering is far from killing any children. Three Mile Island, the only nuclear meltdown the U.S. ever had killed 0 children, (0 people, with i believe like 3 total injuries). I know that nuclear power gets a bad rap, but it would actually save a lot more than hurt, in my opinion. It is such an efficient energy, once the waste can be properly disposed of, but hey, maybe that is what you could do! Nuclear engineers are going to be in insane demand soon as the U.S. is going to have to start with the resuming of nuclear power.

 

[physics girl phd]

Nuclear engineers are going to be in insane demand soon as the U.S. is going to have to start with the resuming of nuclear power.

True: TVA (the Tennessee Valley Authority) is looking at nuclear power plants (they were already, but I'm sure it's even now more pressing after the recent "sludge" of fly ash).

 

[lax1113]

Yeah I mean at the moment, the other ways of producing energy, coal/fossil fuels produce so much more pollution than nuclear energy that it would really help to be cleaner. The big issue is the radioactive biproduct. This is another cause for nuclear engineers. At the moment a lot of the waste is literally being stored in a mountain in Nevada. Sections are cut out and barrels of radioactive waste is just put into it. Definetly not a good idea, but ways are being developed to make a lot less waste. (read one article that a nuclear engineer foudn a way to use only part of the radioactive isotope that led to 90% less of the radioactive waste in the end!) This way just didn't produce the energy quick enough.