Physics or Maths or Computers as a Research Career

[xavier_r]

I want to go into research... but i equally like the three fields, ie., Physics, Maths and Computers...

I am very confused, I can't understand which direction should I go...

Any suggestions?

PS. I have done my Bachelors in Computer Science

 

[Choppy]

What I think can help with that decision is for you to start looking into graduate schools and speaking with professors. Look at the specicific projects that are available and figure out which ones excite you the most. The good thing is that the three fields compliment each other very well and so by choosing one direction, you won't be eliminating the other two.

You may find it difficult to get into a mathematics or physics program with an undergraduate degree in computer science, but this depends on the courses you took. Specific graduate programs will define their own requirements for admission.

 

[eri]

Every physics student I know uses math and computer science on a daily basis. If you want to combine the three, just go into physics and you'll use them all - my research requires me to do a lot of math and a lot of programming to model systems. It's the best of all worlds.

 

[Monocles]

There is a difference between using math and computer science and doing research in them, though, which is what the OP was asking about. While advances in math occasionally come out of physics and computer science, I've never heard of an advance in computer science coming out of physics.

 

[cristo]

I've never heard of an advance in computer science coming out of physics.

What about the internet?

(or, more precisely, the world wide web).

 

[maze]

Didn't information theory draw a bit of inspiration from statistical physics?

 

[Oberst Villa]

I want to go into research... but i equally like the three fields, ie., Physics, Maths and Computers...

Have you considered research on Quantum Computing ? This might be a nice blend of the fields in which you are interested. However, I guess it is pretty hard, so you should not only like these three fields but be very good at them.

 

[xavier_r]

Have you considered research on Quantum Computing ?

Yea, I have considered that field... But I am required to do a Physics Bachelors for that... and i am not willing to waste other three years of my life into academia... especially when i want to go into research...

What I think can help with that decision is for you to start looking into graduate schools and speaking with professors. Look at the specicific projects that are available and figure out which ones excite you the most.

Well, mathematical physics excites me the most, but I am not sure, how my computer science degree will help me get into there...

 

[Cexy]

You certainly can't do research in mathematical physics with a computer science degree. But you can do a master's degree in mathematics, physics or mathematical physics and try to get into research that way. It will involve a lot of work and extra reading though.

Also consider that mathematical physics is extremely competitive. Unless you are very good it's unlikely that you can break in in the first place, and you won't make an impact unless you are very, very good (or very, very lucky, I guess...)