Is it possible to get a Mentor for personal mentorship?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the possibility of finding a mentor for personal mentorship in the field of physics, particularly focusing on understanding quantum field theory (QFT) at a non-perturbative level. The scope includes personal experiences, the role of mentorship, and potential alternatives for guidance in learning complex topics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses a desire for a long-term mentor to help understand non-perturbative QFT and its integration with general relativity, citing difficulties with attention span when studying alone.
  • Another participant suggests that artificial intelligence could serve as a mentor, though they express skepticism about its current capabilities.
  • A third participant emphasizes the need for human mentorship, particularly highlighting the importance of emotional intelligence in the learning process.
  • One participant proposes exploring local university physics departments or societies with meetings to find potential mentors and engage with others interested in similar topics.
  • They mention a personal experience with a professional society that facilitated valuable networking and learning opportunities.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the best approach to finding mentorship. There are differing views on the role of AI versus human mentorship, and the discussion remains open regarding the feasibility of finding a suitable mentor.

Contextual Notes

Participants acknowledge the challenges of remote mentorship and the potential benefits of in-person interactions, particularly in light of the ongoing effects of the COVID pandemic on social gatherings.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals seeking mentorship in advanced physics topics, those interested in non-perturbative QFT, and members of the physics community looking for networking opportunities may find this discussion relevant.

jordi
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I am a person working in the private sector. I studied physics, up to MSc level (QFT, string theory). But then I moved towards the private sector, raising a family, etc.

My wish is to try and understand QFT at the non-perturbative level. I do not need to write any paper on that subject, just to feel I understand well the subject (in other words, to internally feel that I understand the main stumbling blocks that prevent professional physicists to be able to define Yang-Mills as a non-perturbative theory, and to mix General Relativity and QFT/SM into a quantum gravity theory).

When I have some time, I try to read books that interest me. But (probably for some psychological failure I have) my attention span does not last enough to finish a given book. My personal experience (in other fields, different from physics) is that when I recurrently speak with somebody else about a given subject, then my attention span improves dramatically.

So, what I would like is to have a mentor that guides me for the following say 30 years of my life, in this path. I do not know if this is possible (especially, a mentor with no physical meetings, as a PhD advisor would be, for example), or if anybody would be interested in being my mentor at all.

Have there been previous experiences on this endeavor?
 
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Sounds like a good candidate for AI. I don't think it's developed to that point yet, though.
 
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berkeman said:
Sounds like a good candidate for AI. I don't think it's developed to that point yet, though.

AI? Artificial intelligence?

I think I need more like a "human intelligence", more on the "emotional" side ... :)
 
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Are you near any universities with Physics departments? Are there societies that have local chapters near you who have/had meetings and presentations? Hopefully such in-person get-togethers can resume soon after the COVID vaccine becomes available.

I used to belong to the Society for Information Display, and we had monthly meetings where members and guests presented about their work on display development. It was very interesting and valuable for me, and a great way to meet people who were interested in many of the same things I was.

Would some group in APS be a good place to start? Is there a local chapter near you that is active?
 
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