Expert: Carlo Segre - 3/30/2011

Question
QUESTION: Hello Sir ,
         Next fall I will begin my B.S. in either physics or in Engineering . I am having a hard time deciding between the two. Sir i 'm in dilemma to be a physicist or engineer in my future. I just love physics and love physics .In my future i want to do a job where i can work with a team in laboratory researching ,,developing new thing ,inventing new thing. But i think physicist only work alone sitting in  table working with pen and paper trying to develop new theories .nothing exiting.
i want to know what does physicist and engineer do( physicist with specialization in electronics and Electronic Engineer)what kind of work they do  , what type of environment they work and how they work.So,what you think becoming physicist would be beneficial or Engineer would be beneficial for me.
Thank you. Please !! Please Help

Sincerely,
Sashi Nepal.
Nepal

ANSWER: Dear Sashi:

An excellent question!  I am happy to "bust" the myth that physicists sit at desks and develop theories.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Physics is also a heavily experimental science.

If you look at most professions, there are people who started in physics.  This is because physics provides you with a strong fundamental basis for understanding nature.  Let me list a few:

Legal - a physicist can often work in the field of patent law as a specialist or even going to law school and getting a degree.

Medical - physicists going to medical school is not uncommon.  In addition there is an entire profession called Medical physics which has certification and is vital to the advanced diagnostic tools that are used in medicine today.

Financial - there are many physicists in the financial field.  They are the so-called "quants" who understand how to build models of physical systems such as the stock market and who are able to program and implement them.

Software - many of the modern gaming software requires an underlying physics engine.  Who better to be able to build such a model than a physicist?

Engineering - physicists are highly sought after by companies who need to build novel instrumentation.  A physicist not only has training in electronics and programming but understand how instruments and detectors work.

I could go on and on but you get the idea.  In addition, the profession of physics, for those who complete a Ph.D. includes not only theoretical research but experimental research.  Physicists have invented many of the common technologies of our time, the laser, the transistor, the computer, the particle accelerator (which is in just about every hospital now).

Now, the question you ask about whether studying physics or electrical engineering is better for you.  My response is that it really depends on what you enjoy most.  A physicist has a broader knowledge base than an electrical engineer, who has more specialized knowledge but may physicists know enough about electronics, and more importantly, can do just as well in the training that companies always provide to their new employees.  It is a fallacy to think that you will always work on specific things you have studied in college.

The advantage of physics is that you have a lot of directions to go in after graduation.  If you have an engineering mentality, then study engineering by all means but otherwise follow your passion.  You will do much better in school if you are enthusiastic and love the subject.  You will be able to find a career with physics.

Cheers,

Carlo


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: sir one more question..
         i am from nepal. In our college we are just taught to give exam ie they just prepare us for exam , teach solving excercise ,, not subject matter.. . i don't like this , in college we are given notes to study.what the heck? we do not go to class to get a good set of notes. It is hardly worth spending several hours a week for a whole term to get
information that can be bought for a few money in the form of a good reference book. The prime reason for your going to
class is to learn something . Now , i am self studying physics , mathematics , checking Internet resource , watching on line lectures , reading different books on physics mathematics.. etc. Is it enough to give me better knowledge of physics & Can I become a good physicist. My financial condition is not so good so that i can apply for abroad studies.
thank you !!!

Answer
Hi Sashi:

You can certainly learn physics that way.  If you wish to pursue an advanced degree in physics, however, you will have to have a strong academic record with strong standardized test scores and strong letters of reference from your professors at college.  I tell my students that they can all choose to learn one of two ways, the first is as you say, just learning how to solve exercises by rote with no deep understanding.  however, there is always a second way and that is what the best students do.  They read the text, learn the most fundamental of the principles and then use these principles to solve problems, only inserting numerical values at the very end.

You won't be surprised to learn that the students who choose the second way learn a lot more!  Your college education is only as good as the effort you put into it.  It sounds to me that you are doing the right thing.

many students with little money are able to study abroad and obtain an advanced degree.  What they do is to work very hard in college, get involved in research, obtain strong letters and test scores and then apply to universities in the United States, Europe, Australia, and Singapore, for example.  Just do the right things and you will have a better chance.

Cheers,

Carlo