Is a physicist as capable as engineer

[devendra8]

can a physicist do everything that an engineer can do or both of them are on separate boats,

I am interested in physics,electronics and in computer science.

What am I supposed to do?

 

[HallsofIvy]

"Engineering" and "Physics" are very different. I would not expect a physicist, no matter how good at "statics" he was, to be able to design a bridge nor would I expect an engineer to work out a theory of, say, gravity.

And only people who know you well can advise on what you are "supposed to do"!@

 

[chikis]

can a physicist do everything that an engineer can do or both of them are on separate boats,

I am interested in physics,electronics and in computer science.

What am I supposed to do?

They are two different things in two diferent boats. A pysicst can never do the work of engineer and engineer can never do the work of a physicst no matter what.

 

[M Quack]

If you go into experimental physics, you will almost certainly need electronics and computing skills.

In my experience, engineers tend to be very focussed on one specialization, whereas physicists are much more of a wild card with cross-discipline skills.

But comparing the two is a bit like comparing apples and oranges.

 

[f95toli]

They are two different things in two diferent boats. A pysicst can never do the work of engineer and engineer can never do the work of a physicst no matter what.

There are plenty of people with MSc/PhDs in physics who work as engineers. E.g. microwave engineering, semiconductors (manufacturing), test&measurement etc. Most of the people I studied with as an undergrad today works in the telecom sector.

There are also engineers that do the same work as some physicists, again in fields like microwave engineering etc. I also know of examples of people with a MSc in EE that went on to do a PhD in physics (experimental nanoscale physics, bascially work in a cleanroom)

That said, I wouldn't expect someone with a MSc in physics to ever get a job designing bridges, but many EE jobs would be suitable for a physicists with the "right" background.

 

[chikis]

There are plenty of people with MSc/PhDs in physics who work as engineers. E.g. microwave engineering, semiconductors (manufacturing), test&measurement etc. Most of the people I studied with as an undergrad today works in the telecom sector.

There are also engineers that do the same work as some physicists, again in fields like microwave engineering etc. I also know of examples of people with a MSc in EE that went on to do a PhD in physics (experimental nanoscale physics, bascially work in a cleanroom)

That said, I wouldn't expect someone with a MSc in physics to ever get a job designing bridges, but many EE jobs would be suitable for a physicists with the "right" background.

That's fine, is just that I have never heared or seen.