NoodleUK
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Hi all, first post!
I have a BSc and recently finished an MSc in physics in the UK. Both were unspecialised and despite being fascinated by lots of fields, I have never settled on one area.
At the end of my MSc, my supervisor said I "really suited a PhD" and I was offered a project with a professor. Unfortunately after asking around the department, I was warned that the supervisor has serious people issues and after a horror story from their current PhD student I declined the offer. I still feel the lust to learn 'more' about the world and can see myself enjoying a long term project; but without an area - even a field - I'm finding it impossible to narrow down my search. Applying for PhDs requires very specific passions!
As an example, though thoroughly fascinated with cosmology and general relativity, I cannot see myself going into a career in academia and so a PhD in theoretical areas is unlikely. So, I consider myself a practical physicist (Isn't that an engineer? :P) However I find a lot of engineering research to be incremental and tedious. In an ideal world, I want to work on a forefront that has real potential - in the world at large. That's the dream at least.
I have considered solar energy, power networks, quantum computing, nuclear magnetic resonance applications, fusion powerplants, and a whole melting pot of other projects I've seen.
I suppose what I am asking is whether anyone else finds/found themselves without a speciality, and how they concentrate their passion into one area? A second question would be if anyone feels like I do, what emerging areas do you think have a lot of potential?
I have a BSc and recently finished an MSc in physics in the UK. Both were unspecialised and despite being fascinated by lots of fields, I have never settled on one area.
At the end of my MSc, my supervisor said I "really suited a PhD" and I was offered a project with a professor. Unfortunately after asking around the department, I was warned that the supervisor has serious people issues and after a horror story from their current PhD student I declined the offer. I still feel the lust to learn 'more' about the world and can see myself enjoying a long term project; but without an area - even a field - I'm finding it impossible to narrow down my search. Applying for PhDs requires very specific passions!
As an example, though thoroughly fascinated with cosmology and general relativity, I cannot see myself going into a career in academia and so a PhD in theoretical areas is unlikely. So, I consider myself a practical physicist (Isn't that an engineer? :P) However I find a lot of engineering research to be incremental and tedious. In an ideal world, I want to work on a forefront that has real potential - in the world at large. That's the dream at least.
I have considered solar energy, power networks, quantum computing, nuclear magnetic resonance applications, fusion powerplants, and a whole melting pot of other projects I've seen.
I suppose what I am asking is whether anyone else finds/found themselves without a speciality, and how they concentrate their passion into one area? A second question would be if anyone feels like I do, what emerging areas do you think have a lot of potential?