Expert: Daniel Mazur - 2/23/2008

Question
I am interested in quantum mechanics and theoretical physic.  I'm not exactly sure what I want to do, but definitely something dealing with those or something along those lines.  What new fields are expected to come up within the next twenty years that I could get into?  Also, what classes would you recommend for said careers?

Answer
Hello Max,

you ask for a mere miracle... Feynmann predicted the eventual rise of nanotechnology 50 years in advance, but it is a tricky business to make a guess a mere decade ahead. Except in the most general terms.

Now, based on your scientific interests many fields in physics are open to you. If you choose Solid State Physics theory as your field, you and I might one day meet on a common project, as I do experimental solid state. I dare say in ten or twenty years, solid state is still going to be big and especially at the nano-level. A lot more theoretical work will be needed for us to truely master the behavior of materials from first principles, for example development of techniques that circumvent the perturbation methods of calculation, which are helpful to some extent, but rarely useful in the "interesting cases". There is even a branch of physics called Quantum Chemistry, which would suit your inclinations. It approaches the same thing as Solid State theory from a different angle, so they partially overlap, partly complement each other. All in all, I'd say a good Solid State physicist will always make a fair living.

I am guessing that particle physics will still have its unresolved mysteries 20 years from now. This branch of physics has little practical applications, most of the time, it is more about discovering, what space and time are woven of.

Mind you, if you are to be a theorist, you better be a good one. Otherwise you can just as well go and go something else. See, an experimental scientist makes himself/herself worth simply by doing an honest and careful measurement. Their interpretation of the results may be completely faulty, but as soon as the data is good and is published, they have in a way done their job. Now, when a theorist makes wrong conclusions, his work is simply wasted. It is a lot of pressure and responsibility to do a good job as a theorist.

Classes for the named programs are best consulted with professors - heads of the respective divisions. And it really depends on your level, which you did not state. As a theorist you should make sure you take Quantum Field Theory, Computational Methods for Physics, Statistical Mechanics. Other subjects are dependent on the field you choose, Particles require knowledge distinctly different from Materials. At this moment I hesitate to add more, let me see if you have any additional question...

Did I help? If there are details you'd like to read about, let me know, please.
Good Luck,
Daniel