A Career as a Physicist 

What does a physicist do? 

Carries out research in various branches of physics:

solid state physics, atomic physics, particle physics, astrophysics, lasers, plasma physics, atmospheric physics, space sciences, etc.

 

Vast field – some examples

CERN (LHC)

Dark matter ~ 10 Luminous matter

Ozone Hole over Antarctica

What does a physicist do? 

Carries out research in various branches of physics:

solid state physics, atomic physics, particle physics, astrophysics, lasers, plasma physics, atmospheric physics, space sciences, etc.

 

How?

Experimentalists – Use accelerators, lasers, telescopes, etc.

Theorists – Interpret, Suggest new possibilities

What does a physicist do? 

Carries out research in various branches of physics:

solid state physics, atomic physics, particle physics, astrophysics, lasers, plasma physics, atmospheric physics, space sciences, etc.

 

Why do Physics?

Enjoy the challenge Study the unknown

Chain of technological advancement :

Physicist Engineer Businessperson

Some areas directly applicable

 Where does a physicist work?

In India : Research Institutes (PRL, IPR, TIFR, IISc, …)

Some Universities

Applied Research Centres (Govt.) (BARC, ISRO, CSIR labs)

Some Industrial Research Centres

Abroad : Universities

(USA) Research Institutes

Industrial Research Centres

How do you become a physicist?

B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D.

B.Sc.: IIT/IISER/BITS/college Coursework insufficient

Read more books (Halliday-Resnick, Griffiths …)

Work on projects in research institutes through

formal or informal programmes 

Improve your English Solve problems

M.Sc.: Important to study at a good University/Institute 

Continue to read good texts

Projects, Summer Programmes Written test

Doing your Ph.D.

New phase – start research, scholarship/stipend

In India

Universities Admissions based on M.Sc. marks and/or written test/UGC-CSIR-NET

Contact Registrar of the University for application form

Research Institutes conduct a written test and an interviewContact the Institute for application form Some institutes have a common entrance exam: JEST

UGC and CSIR offer fellowshipsResearch Institutes give stipends See homepages for info

Doing your Ph.D.

Abroad (USA)

Criteria for Admission (US universities)

B.Sc. and M.Sc. marks, GRE, letters of recommendation,

an essay, research projects [1 year process – M.Sc. II]

 

English Proficiency: TOEFL

Universities offers tuition waiver or tuition waiver plus stipend

Pursuit of Ph.D. without a stipend is difficult to sustain

What after Ph.D.?

In India:

Colleges/universities/IITs teaching and research (DST grants)

Research institutes (PRL, IPR, TIFR, IISc,..) primarily research

ISRO (Space), BARC (Nuclear energy), DRDO (Defence)

A few industrial research centres (Unilever, ..) Academic

freedom

Abroad:

Universities teaching and research

Research institutes mainly research

Industrial research centres (IBM, XEROX, Bell Labs, ..)

Post-doctoral positions

Final Remarks

Challenging, freedom of work (academic institutions)

Excellent opportunities to work with high end technology

Get to see the world, meet many people, come across ideas…

Freedom of work (academic institutions)Excellent opportunities to work with high end technologyGet to see the world, meet many people, come across ideas…

No guarantee

Medium range salaries

Talk to scientists, work on projects to decide for yourself if a career in physics is suited for you.

Many have done it

Final Remarks

Freedom of work (academic institutions)Excellent opportunities to work with high end technologyGet to see the world, meet many people, come across ideas…

No guarantee

Medium range salaries

Talk to scientists, work on projects to decide for yourself if a career in physics is suited for you.

http://www.sayantanghosh.50megs.com

Final Remarks