Expert: Philip Stahl - 12/16/2004

Question
Hello, my name is Justin Kerr. I am an aspiring astrophysicist in the 9th grade. I'm working on a research project that requires me to explore the career field I wish to someday persue as my own career. It would be extermely usful if you could answer a few questions about you're career as soon as possible. Thank you very much for you time and consideration.

1. What are a few of the day to day tasks?



2. What is the starting job in this field? What are a few jobs that you have to go through to get to a high authority profession? (in other words, what are the "opportunities for advancment?")



3. What is the average salary for a profession such as yours?




4. What kind of hours does an astrophysicist work?



5.  Can you list a few advantages and disadvantages?



Thank you very much again!

Answer
Hello.

First, some initial information.

"Astrophysics" has actually become quite a vast discipline, which now includes:  stellar astrophysics (the study of the physics of the stars, and their evolution, changing properties), solar physics (the study of the Sun, its physics and properties, as well as terrestrial effects), galactic astrophysics (the study of the dynamics and physics of the galaxies); space physics - the study of the space environment of the Earth - including its magnetosphere and specific phenomena such as the aurorae, and cosmological physics (the study of the large scale motions and expansion of the universe based on inputs from high-energy particle physics)


Therefore, describing current work in each of these would probably take a small book. Even describing what a professional would do in each of these fields in a given day - would require much more time and volume of input than can be provided here.

Given these limitations, let me address your questions:

1- Given that all the various branches of astrophysics will vary - depending on what exactly is being investigated- one can still reduce the basic day-to-day tasks to the following:

- Teaching any number of basic or advanced courses in math, physics at a recognized university (since most astrophysicsts are attached to universities)

- Holding special seminars on one's research area, or attending such seminars, conferences

- Reading all current research in one's fields from a variety of relevant publications, journals. (On average a good researcher can expect to read 8-12 articles a week)

- Using the existing research to formulate a problem that has not yet been addressed, and use that to contribute to a new paper, article. Either alone - or as more often is the case- with others.

- Trying to obtain funding for the project, to cover costs of data collection, and computing time etc. This may include writing a number of 'proposals', e.g. to various federal and other grant suppliers.

- Compiling the data one needs - using whatever instrumentation is required- say spectrograph, or H-alpha filters/videos in the case of solar flares.

- Analyzing the data, which includes the use of computers.

- Developing the analysis in terms of a "model" to describe the process one is examining, or trying to expose in the research. (This will require extensive mathematical training and familiarity with advanced math topics. For example, cosmological physics may require algebraic geometry, in order to apply 'string theory')

2. The starting job is generally that of an untenured professor - if the work is at a university. This means you are not assured of being kept on where you are, and you must basically prove to the department heads, chairman that you are capable.

You can do this by publishing notable research in your field, and usually at least one published paper (in a peer-reviewed scholarly journal) is required per year, at minimum. Or, alternatively, one academic text book written every three yrs.

If you succeed, you may go to the next rank up - say associate professor, and finally full professor, or even chairman of the dept.

3."Average salary" depends on where one works (e.g university, or a lab - say like Lawrence Livermore, etc.) and in what capacity and what level. A starting untenured professor, for example, will usually begin at $45,000/ year or so. With the possibility to move upwards. It will also depend on WHERE one takes the job. A position at an Ivy League school - like Harvard- will tend to pay more than a state university.

Mid-level professionals typically earn from $75,000- 90,000 a year, again depending on where located and particular areas of responsibility. (A Chairman of a dept. will be highest paid)

4.Again, this depends on what one's specialty field is. A stellar astrophysicist, for example, may work day hours - teaching (and preparing for!) one or more university classes each day, and then work at night in either making observations or going over analyses, using computers etc. A solar physicist may do much of his work observing the Sun during the day- and teach evening classes.

In a manner of speaking, one can really say that one's work day never ends! Even when you are away from the computer, office or class room, you will still likely be thinking of the key parts of a paper you just read, and how it helps to propel your own work forward - or gives new ideas. You may be thiking of a new physical model, say for a solar flare, and how it can best be described - using what differential equations.

This very act of thinking means - in effect- you are still working!

5. I think from the preceding the advantages and disadvantages should be fairly clear. Among the first, doing something (research, teaching) you love, and making an original contibution to the body of work that exists. Only a relatively few people in the world can do this - and even fewer get to the stage of winning a Nobel Prize, say.

The disadvantages may include:

- Difficulty in finding a position because of (federal) government or state budget cutbacks, also no certainty in getting and keeping work because of said budget cuts or things you may have no control over.

For example, hundreds of astrophysicists have spent YEARS using data from the Hubble Space Telescope, and advancing their careers based on that work. But, if the Space Telescope is not repaired in the next year or so, and is discontinued - then all their future work is in limbo. Plus, they will have no place to go to do the work they love. Since there will be no more observations, data coming to support their research!

- Meeting enormous demands and work pressure. The successful astrophysicist may have to constantly balance the competing demands of his work, to stay successful, and the demands of family. As I pointed out earlier, it's not exactly like a 9-to-5 job. Also, there is the matter of balancing uncertainty in getting and keeping a position with concerns like paying off a mortgage, a child's education and so on.

This is why many people prefer to go the route of a more stable work environment, than one that depends on external funding, grants and what happens to a space observing platform hundreds of miles overhead (the Space Telescope).

Anyway, I do hope this information proves useful.