When Do You Earn the Title of Cosmologist?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the criteria for earning the title of "cosmologist," exploring the distinctions between self-appointment and formal recognition through academic achievements. It touches on the scope of cosmology, its relationship with other fields like astronomy and physics, and the informal nature of the title within the scientific community.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants question whether the title of cosmologist is self-appointed or requires formal accomplishments in the field.
  • There is a suggestion that the title may have institutional implications, often linked to degrees or professorships in related departments.
  • One participant notes that cosmology can be a specialization within a broader physics or astronomy degree, without a specific title for the specialty.
  • Another viewpoint emphasizes that recognized cosmologists are often those who publish influential papers and are invited to speak at conferences.
  • Some participants express that there is no official certification for being a cosmologist, suggesting it is more of a recognition based on contributions to the field.
  • A later reply humorously critiques the use of "I" in defining who qualifies as a cosmologist, referencing historical figures like Friedmann to illustrate the fluidity of the title's application.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the criteria for being considered a cosmologist, with no consensus on whether it is a formal title or a recognition based on contributions and reputation in the field.

Contextual Notes

The discussion reflects varying academic structures across universities, which may influence how cosmology is categorized and recognized. There are also unresolved assumptions about the nature of the title and its implications.

Xyooj
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when do a person earn that title?

is it self-appointed or does the person has to have done something in that field? and what is considered the field of cosmology as it is a bit from relativity to quantum mechanics?
 
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Google would be a good start... :rolleyes:
 
A cosmologist is a mathematician with an interest in physics at large scales. The observational evidence is thin and open to interpretation - the perfect setting for a highly disciplined scientist.
 
Xyooj said:
when do a person earn that title?
...

When you say title it sounds like you are talking about degrees, like PhD, and professorship ranks. It has institutional connotations.

Some universities have a separate department of Astronomy, or a department of Astrophysics, which is separate from the main Physics department. In other universities Astronomy is included in the Physics department.

So in some cases you would just get a PhD in Physics and you would then do your research in cosmology. Cosmology would be your specialization. there is not always a separate TITLE for a research specialty. People would get to know that your special interest was cosmology after you had published some papers in that field.

If you got to be promoted to a professorship, then you would be Professor of Physics, or Professor of Astronomy, depending on how the departments were organized. But you would not normally have a title like "Professor of Cosmology".
=====================

The people I think of as cosmologists are people whose work I know, the ones I see being invited to give the featured talks about cosmology at conferences, and being invited to write the major survey papers reviewing the progress in their specialty. They are usually the ones whose papers are highly cited by other researchers in that field.

I don't think there is an official certificate. It is just a type of astronomer.
 
marcus said:
Some universities have a separate department of Astronomy, or a department of Astrophysics, which is separate from the main Physics department. In other universities Astronomy is included in the Physics department.
...or in some universities Astronomy is a part of the mathematics department :wink:

To the OP: I think marcus gives quite a good description of whom would be considered a professional cosmologist.
 
marcus said:
The people I think of as cosmologists are people whose work I know, the ones I see being invited to give the featured talks about cosmology at conferences, and being invited to write the major survey papers reviewing the progress in their specialty. They are usually the ones whose papers are highly cited by other researchers in that field.

I'm assuming you're using "I" to mean "I and other gurus like me". Otherwise the title has gone to your head :smile: But if so, by your definition, Friedmann was not a cosmologist for most of the 1920s.
 
Friedman also wasn't alive for most of the 1920s.
 

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