Bulletin of the American Physical Society
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 PhysicsCareers Invited Undergraduate
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Sponsoring Units: FED Chair: John Stewart, West Virginia University Room: 387 |
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 11:15AM - 11:51AM |
L40.00001: Beyond the Rose-Colored Binoculars: How to Launch a Successful Physics Career in the 21st Century Invited Speaker: Crystal Bailey Physics degree holders are among the most employable in the world, often doing everything from managing a research lab at a multi-million dollar corporation, to developing solutions to global problems in their own small startups. Employers know that with a physics training, a potential hire has acquired a broad problem-solving skill set that translates to almost any environment, as well as an ability to be self- guided and -motivated so that they can learn whatever skills are needed to successfully achieve their goals. Therefore it's no surprise that the majority of physics graduates find employment in private sector, industrial settings. Yet at the same time, only about 25\% of graduating PhDs will take a permanent faculty position-- yet academic careers are usually the only track to which students are exposed while earning their degrees. In this talk, I will explore less-familiar (but more common!) career paths for physics graduates, and provide resources to help faculty mentors give their students better information and training for a broader scope of career possibilities. [Preview Abstract] |
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 11:51AM - 12:27PM |
L40.00002: Career Paths for Physics Degree Recipients Invited Speaker: Patrick Mulvey Physics degree holders have a diverse set of career opportunities open to them. So what are these opportunities? Where are they employed? How much do they earn? What skills will they need? Physics degrees make up a small proportion of the degrees conferred in the US but they play an important role in meeting workforce needs at many levels. This talk will give an overview of the employment outcomes of physics bachelors, masters and PhDs. It will discuss the diverse set fields they work in and the skills they use. [Preview Abstract] |
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 12:27PM - 1:03PM |
L40.00003: Preparing for a Career at a Research University Invited Speaker: Michael Cherry An academic position at a research university involves a combination of teaching, research, administration, and service. Faculty come to their academic positions from a variety of career paths, but the requirements for academic advancement at a research university are frequently quite similar. I will describe some of the advantages, opportunities, and challenges of an academic position at a research university, together with the kinds of expectations that a faculty member might typically encounter. [Preview Abstract] |
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 1:03PM - 1:39PM |
L40.00004: Alternate Careers for Physicists: Science Policy and Government Relations Invited Speaker: Gregory Mack While physics is an investigation of the world around us, physicists and the practice of physics research exist within the world in combination with aspects of society. This means that physicists and physics research are subject to federal policies and regulations that affect how physics is done. Who decides or influences those policies? Who speaks up on our behalf? Who investigates policy issues from a physics point of view? As physicists, we can lend our expertise and insight in order to ensure a fruitful future for physics and science more broadly, whether it be an occasional policy action taken or a career in science policy and government relations. In this talk I’ll share the story of my transition from academia to a policy-focused career at APS and what it means to be a physicist on the frontlines of government relations. [Preview Abstract] |
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 1:39PM - 2:15PM |
L40.00005: Preparing for a Career in Industrial Physics. Invited Speaker: Gregory Meisner 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. [Preview Abstract] |
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