What is the best route to go from IT to Science?

[stellar05]

What is the best route to go from IT to Science?

I have an undergrad in Computer Science completed in 1997 and have over 12 years experience in programing, software design, technical writing, telecom, & Point-of-Sale software. I am willing to go into any area of science, and I would like to spend the least amount of time in school as possible due to financial issues.

I am especially interested in the physical sciences & astronomy and have many skills in computation to offer the science world. I did well in math and science while in school.

I am grateful to hear anyone's suggestions or know-how in the matter?

- Stellar05

 

[berkeman]

Welcome to the PF, stellar. You will enjoy your time here.

Are you considering the Community College route for an AS, or some other school route? I think that embedded systems programming will offer you a good way to change over from more of an IT path to an engineering path.

You can also pick up a lot of this on your own, by getting a microcontroller (uC) plus CPLD evaluation board plus complers, and building up some projects on your own. If you pick up Assembly/C programming for popular uCs, plus Verilog/VHDL/AHDL programming of CPLD logic devices, you will be very marketable in the EE / embedded systems market.

Can you tell us a little more about your background and where you want to go?

 

[stellar05]

Hi Berkeman,
Thanks for replying to my post. I have a bachelors of science in Computer Science. My background starts in programming and leads up to software design which is what I do now. At work, I create flowcharts, sequence diagrams, functional specs, & technical specs for merchant credit card software. I have experience in telecommunication software design as well. I believe that I should of posted my question to the career guidance and not academic guidance.

I learned both assembly and C in college. I don't really want to go into EE, I would rather go into a career involving research for pure physical science or perhaps even astronomy. I am not focusing on an area of science because I want to pick a science field which is the most accessible to me (requiring less academics as possible).

-Stellar05

 

[daveyinaz]

Select a graduate program you would want to do and apply.

 

[stellar05]

Will a masters degree be enough to be a researcher?

 

[berkeman]

Will a masters degree be enough to be a researcher?

Primary Investigators are generally PhDs or MDs, depending on the field. An MS-degreed person could participate in research, but generally would not lead the research.