APS March Meeting 2017
Volume 62, Number 4
Monday–Friday, March 13–17, 2017;
New Orleans, Louisiana
Session L40: How to Get a Job: Preparing for a Career in Physics
11:15 AM–2:15 PM,
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Room: 387
Sponsoring
Unit:
FED
Chair: John Stewart, West Virginia University
Abstract ID: BAPS.2017.MAR.L40.5
Abstract: L40.00005 : Preparing for a Career in Industrial Physics.
1:39 PM–2:15 PM
Preview Abstract
Abstract
Author:
Gregory Meisner
(GM Research and Development (Retired))
My career in physics has been extremely rewarding. My career path, however,
was not what I imagined it would be when I started college. I thought I
would be a math major and eventually a university math professor. A big
challenge of my college and graduate school experience, aside from actually
learning physics, was to find out what I was most passionate about and then
to pursue that endeavor wherever it led. The graduate school part of my
career path wound its way into experimental condensed matter physics, but I
still expected that I would remain in academia. Along the way, I learned a
lot from many people, worked hard to accomplish good results, and availed
myself of unexpected opportunities for professional development and career
advancement. One piece of advice that resonated with me was to always try to
be learning something new, and I did manage to do that throughout my career:
in graduate school and as a post doc I studied low temperature experimental
physics and superconductivity, whereas my areas of research as an industrial
physicist at GM R{\&}D were permanent magnets, then hydrogen storage
materials for fuel cell vehicle applications, and finally thermoelectric
materials and devices for waste exhaust gas heat recovery. The best piece of
advice, which has served me well along my career path and my life path in
general, was in the remarks astronaut Katherine Sullivan gave at my PhD
graduation ceremony at UCSD in 1982. Her advice was captured in the word
``quality''. Specifically, always strive for the highest quality in
everything you do. Another impactful word, which was a favorite of my thesis
advisor, Bernd Matthias, is ``serendipity''. Specifically, you need to know
how to recognize and capitalize on unexpected or unusual occurrences -- they
may be the best stepping stones you will have along your career path. My
presentation will discuss a few specifics of how I prepared myself for a
career in industrial physics.
To cite this abstract, use the following reference: http://meetings.aps.org/link/BAPS.2017.MAR.L40.5