Why is SI taught in US university physics courses instead of cgs?

[bluepilotg-2_07]

TL;DR

Why is SI taught in US University physics courses?

Hello. I worked as a carpenter as a kid before going to university to study physics. I acquired the belief that there is scarcely ever a superior tool over another, only that some tools are better for certain jobs than others. I think that the SI system is a great tool for measuring things in the lab, especially when working with electronics; however, when doing theoretical physics, the cgs system is a far more appropriate tool for understanding underlying symmetries. Getting a deeper understanding of E&M was easier when I switched to cgs, for instance. My question is that since a university physics curriculum should ideally be preparing one to do physics, why do most teach in the SI system here in the US?
Thank you.

 

[Dale]

Most publications in most STEM fields require SI. There are exceptions, of course, and hybrid units. But most professional science uses SI.

 

[berkeman]

Getting a deeper understanding of E&M was easier when I switched to cgs, for instance.

Can you give a couple examples where using cgs units helped you in your understanding of Physics versus using SI units? Thanks.

 

[DaveE]

Because cgs sucks? Sorry, JMHO.
STEM students need to know about unit conversions, which they will do while they are cursing the authors that made them do it.

Also, most physics students don't end up being real physicists. They get jobs at Intel, Boeing, Thermo-Fischer, and such.