Would EE be the right choice for me?

[jkface]

I'm a 1st year college student who is strongly considering EE as my major. I am very interested in energy sources (nuclear fusion), quantum computing, and pretty much anything that might show up on science fiction movies/novels. At the moment, I am thinking about majoring in EE as an undergrad and going for physics in grad school. I know my question is pretty vague, but would EE be the right choice for me? do you recommend any other major? last but not least, what is the most fun thing you did while studying EE?

 

[jsgruszynski]

I'm a 1st year college student who is strongly considering EE as my major. I am very interested in energy sources (nuclear fusion), quantum computing, and pretty much anything that might show up on science fiction movies/novels. At the moment, I am thinking about majoring in EE as an undergrad and going for physics in grad school. I know my question is pretty vague, but would EE be the right choice for me? do you recommend any other major? last but not least, what is the most fun thing you did while studying EE?

These subjects of interest could be EE or Physics depending on the focus and likely have a lot of overlap in any case. Since these particular technologies are "not technological viable" just yet (fusion has been the "next big thing" since the 1950s, and quantum computers are on the cusp of reality but could still flop completely), these are a bit more in the physics side at the moment.

EE (and all engineering fields) generally take *proven* science and make it economical practical for human utility and benefit. Physics (and all science fields) generally are more interested in everything that comes before that point and in knowledge for its own sake.

These are very broad generalizations but generally true. However there is a ton of overlap so some physicist do more "applied" or "engineering"-like work while there are EEs who do more purely "science-y" work like a pure physicist proper. In the area I work in with semiconductors and microelectronics, this distinction is very blurred.

The decision of one or the other (or both) probably comes down to how much you like getting your hands into things and making things real, versus figuring out the science and nature of what it takes to making things work, both theory and experimentally.

 

[jkface]

jsgruszynski, thank you very much for your reply. i now understand much more about what i am about to get into :)