MSc Eng. Physics Student's Astrobiology Thesis: Benefits?

[lifesigns]

I'm currently studying for M.Sc. in Engineering Physics, but will be doing my thesis in Astrobiology at NASA Ames. Will this somehow influence my "attractiveness" for the industry? I'm just thinking as astrobiology doesn't really have huge profitable applications, but this thesis work is pretty much the thesis of my dreams.

Working for NASA or ESA would also be dreamlike opportunities, but it's a very limited job market and you got to be prepared if things don't go your way.

 

[Choppy]

While the specific project may not have so much "real world" application, the important things to consider are the skills that you pick up along the way. "Astrobiology" is not very well defined as a field yet. To my knowledge it can encompass as much geophysics as it can organic chemistry. An astrobiology project could give you skills in programming and modelling, or it could focus on experimental design for future remote Mars missions which may have applications in environmental testing, robotics, remote sensing, etc.