Can I call myself a physicist yet?

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In summary: I am an inquisitive designer with a bent for understanding how things work, so I chose "physicist".In summary, the conversation revolves around the question of whether one can call themselves a physicist without a PhD or working in a specific job position. The opinions vary, with some saying it depends on how one defines "physicist" and others saying it is dependent on their job title or qualifications. Ultimately, the conversation ends with a humorous exchange about the use of the word "physicist" in different contexts.
  • #36
What is "doing physics"? I use the physics that I studied every day. If you mean research, then that would be a research physicist.

If you are making something for a customer, you've entered the world of engineering. Even if your degree is in physics, you're an engineer.
I was being asked what qualifies me to do the work I was insuring. The real answer is that I can figure out what I need to know because, and only because of my physics degree.

Doing insurance work doesn't make you a physicist. You're an insurance guy with a physics degree. The same way I'm an Aerospace engineer with a Mechanical Degree.
 
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  • #37
Pengwuino said:
Then again does that mean anyone doing any scientific/engineering job can say they're a physicist

That's a stupid question. Clearly, a biologist doing science isn't a physicist. So not "any one doing a scientific/engineering job can say they're a physicist". You bird brain.
 
  • #38
Cyrus said:
If you are making something for a customer, you've entered the world of engineering. Even if your degree is in physics, you're an engineer.

In no way could I claim to be an engineer. I don't have an engineering degree. I was claiming that I was capable of doing engineering.

Doing insurance work doesn't make you a physicst. You're an insurance guy with a physics degree. The same way I'm an Aerospace engineer with a Mechanical Degree.

That isn't what I said. My insurance agent told me that he needed a title in order to file the application in which I was claiming to be capable of doing electrical engineering work.
 
  • #39
Ivan Seeking said:
Tell me this: Are all engineers the same? Do all engineers bring the same knowledge and skills to the table?

Well, that's why they insert the word (Aero, Mech, Bio, Civil, Chem) infront of the word engineer.
 
  • #40
I seriously doubt the OP has a BA in physics and minor in chemistry. He seems more like someone who has just started out in physics and thinks it is a nice name to call oneself. "Well I am a physicist!" If you study physics and are pursuing it for a career, you are a student of physics, when you obtain a degree in the field and work as physicist, you are a physicist. I don't think he has a BA because of the latter. Just my opinion though...
 
  • #41
Cyrus said:
Well, that's why they insert the word (Aero, Mech, Bio, Civil, Chem) infront of the word engineer.

What do physics students study?
 
  • #42
Ivan Seeking said:
In no way could I claim to be an engineer. I don't have an engineering degree. I was claiming that I was capable of doing engineering.

That isn't what I said. My insurance agent told me that he needed a title in order to file the application in which I was claiming to be capable of doing electrical engineering work.

Why couldn't you claim to be an engineer? You were hired to do engineering work, right?
 
  • #43
Ivan Seeking said:
What do physics students study?

You have a BS in physics, I'm sure you're well aware of what they study. Physicists, by definition, search for the fundamental mechanisms by how things work. Engineers use those mechanism to make things and further technology.

Engineers make a product.
 
  • #44
By the way, as a finer point of law, I could be sued for legally calling myself an engineer. However, I am completely legal and insured to do engineering given that I am careful about the jobs I take. I can't design a bridge, but I can design for concept testing and various types of industrial applications.
 
  • #45
Ivan Seeking said:
By the way, as a finer point of law, I could be sued for legally calling myself an engineer. However, I am completely legal and insured to do engineering.

Why can you be sued for calling yourself an engineer? What law, specifically says that.
 
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  • #46
If you don't have a degree in engineering and can be sued because of it you merely have the knowledge of an engineer, not the credentials that would make you an engineer. You aren't an engineer but rather someone with knowledge of engineering. Just because a 1 year old baby can add 1 + 1 and know that it equals 2, doesn't make that baby a mathematician. In order to be a mathematician you have to study mathematics and earn the credentials to call yourself a mathematician.
 
  • #47
Cyrus said:
You have a BS in physics, I'm sure you're well aware of what they study. Physicists, by definition, search for the fundamental mechanisms by how things work. Engineers use those mechanism to make things and further technology.

Engineers make a product.

Do you assume that a physics graduate does not lay claim to knowledge specific to physics graduates? Do you think that all engineers gets as much physics as a physics grad?
 
  • #48
Ivan Seeking said:
Do you assume that a physics graduate does not lay claim to knowledge specific to physics graduates? Do you think that all engineers gets as much physics as a physics grad?

What?...
 
  • #49
//:phoenix:\\ said:
If you don't have a degree in engineering and can be sued because of it you merely have the knowledge of an engineer, not the credentials that would make you an engineer. You aren't an engineer but rather someone with knowledge of engineering. Just because a 1 year old baby can add 1 + 1 and know that it equals 2, doesn't make that baby a mathematician. In order to be a mathematician you have to study mathematics and earn the credentials to call yourself a mathematician.

Well, I've had my own company for 11 years and I do all sorts of engineering. In fact, my career was made by solving problems that stumped the band.
 
  • #50
//:phoenix:\\ said:
If you don't have a degree in engineering and can be sued because of it you merely have the knowledge of an engineer, not the credentials that would make you an engineer. You aren't an engineer but rather someone with knowledge of engineering. Just because a 1 year old baby can add 1 + 1 and know that it equals 2, doesn't make that baby a mathematician. In order to be a mathematician you have to study mathematics and earn the credentials to call yourself a mathematician.

I don't understand the point of this post.
 
  • #51
Cyrus said:
What?...

What didn't you understand?
 
  • #52
Ivan Seeking said:
Tell me this: Are all engineers the same? Do all engineers bring the same knowledge and skills to the table?

Certainly not! I am studying for a BEng (Hons) in Aerospace Engineering. I am taught 50% of my course in classes with only other aero students, and the other 50% (mainly the pure maths/stats stuff) with the mechanical engineers. However there is also the civil engineers who are educated completely separate from us, plus there are the Bio and Chemical engineers who are trained in a whole other section of the uni and nothing what so ever related to us (I've never even met one).

I personally conside myself a Student Aerospace Engineer, and when I start my placement next month I will be classed as a Student Aerospace Engineer which, if successful and offered a full time job after completing my studies, I would still be an Aerospace Engineer, but the job title would be Project Engineer. To me, it's simply a matter of what I want to call it when someone asks me what I do, I prefer Aerospace Engineer as it is more specific to what I am/will be trained to do. Although based on any experience and future work, I may change this to a more suited title. From what I have read, the title of Project Engineer simply means you are experienced enough to work on projects by yourself (without supervision) and has absolutely no bearing on what you are actually qualified in (hence me preferring aerospace engineer.
 
  • #53
Cyrus said:
I don't understand the point of this post.

I was replying to the thread and Ivan. Simply knowing engineering doesn't make you an engineer. You have to have the knowledge added with the necessary degree.

But, isn't there some type of philosophy that opposes what I said in the aforementioned? I think I read something about it a while back.
 
  • #54
Ivan Seeking said:
What didn't you understand?

Your post.
 
  • #55
//:phoenix:\\ said:
Simply knowing engineering doesn't make you an engineer. You have to have the knowledge added with the necessary degree.

That is a nonsensical statement.
 
  • #56
Ivan Seeking said:
Well, I've had my own company for 11 years and I do all sorts of engineering. In fact, my career was made by solving problems that stumped the band.

Don't you need a degree also as you stated you could get sued?

That nonsensical statement.

What made it nonsensical?
 
  • #57
You are all over-complicating this.

According to Wikipedia, "A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics", and "A scientist, in the broadest sense, refers to any person that engages in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge".

According to Dictionary.com,

A physicist is "a scientist who specializes in physics," a Scientist is "A person having expert knowledge of one or more sciences, especially a natural or physical science," and a specialist is "One who is devoted to a particular occupation or branch of study or research."

According to Merriem-Webster, a scientist is "a specialist in physics," and a specialist is "one who concentrates their efforts on a particular occupation, practice, or branch of learning."

Clearly, to be a physicist according to these sources, you don't need a PhD, you don't need to work for a government lab, you only need to be someone who is currently devoted and has a current expertise, in physics.

So there you have it, fartmaster...you can call yourself a physicist.
 
  • #58
Just out of curiosity, when people here think of physics are you thinking quantum mechanics and such or are you thinking more along the lines of A level (high school) physics? Because physics in the A level sense had a lot of mechanics in them and as such are very applicable to engineering, whereas a physics degree won't be quite so engineering involved.
 
  • #59
//:phoenix:\\ said:
Don't you need a degree also as you stated you could get sued?
What made it nonsensical?

Go back and reread what you wrote. You contradicted yourself.

You don't need a degree in engineering to do engineering work. No one is going to sue you. This is all nonsense.

For the last time, you need *in some cases* an engineering degree, if you want to do work that requires a licensed engineer to sign off on something. That's it.
 
  • #60
You don't need a degree to be an engineer, a degree simply gives you a piece of paper that proves you have the knowledge as opposed to not having one where an employer would have to take your word for it. I have met many non-degree engineers who know a hell of a lot more than some graduates.
 
  • #61
I see where you might "think" contradiction is elicited.

You don't need a degree to be an engineer, a degree simply gives you a piece of paper that proves you have the knowledge as opposed to not having one where an employer would have to take your word for it. I have met many non-degree engineers who know a hell of a lot more than some graduates.

I see graduates earning more money than the ones without any degree. I also see a lot more graduates in the field than non-graduates.
 
  • #62
Cyrus said:
For the last time, you need *in some cases* an engineering degree, if you want to do work that requires a licensed engineer to sign off on something. That's it.

Cyrus is right here. If you are to become chartered you need a degree. To prove you hold the knowledge required.
 
  • #63
//:phoenix:\\ said:
I see where you might "think" contradiction is elicited.

I don't "think" you contradicted yoursef, you did contradict yourself.

Simply knowing engineering doesn't make you an engineer. You have to have the knowledge added with the necessary degree.

Is a blatant contradiction. How can you have 'added' knowledge with a degree, if you already KNOW engineering? The first sentence implies that you WONT get "added" anything with an engineering degree.
 
  • #64
//:phoenix:\\ said:
I see graduates earning more money than the ones without any degree. I also see a lot more graduates in the field than non-graduates.

...and?
 
  • #65
Who mentioned pay? As a graduate aero engineer I am looking at an average wage of £25000PA. Now, I know a number of non-degree level engineers earning 40K plus.
 
  • #66
Cyrus, you say you know engineering. Could I just ask how much experience you have with it and what level of knowledge you would consider yourself to have.
 
  • #67
Knowing engineering doesn't make you an engineer correct? What makes you an engineer is the degree proving your claim. Hey! I am a physicist, biologist, engineer, mathematician, botanist, neurological surgeon, and radiologist. Prove it? No, no, no, just take my word on it. I will just use google to complete any task necessary. The only reason you saw it as contradiction was because I lacked clarity and ample explanation.

...and?

I was simply replying to a post.
 
  • #68
jarednjames said:
Cyrus, you say you know engineering. Could I just ask how much experience you have with it and what level of knowledge you would consider yourself to have.

I have a BS in Mechanical, working on an MS in aero, and do work for two small private companies in the Aerospace Industry and NASA.

What experience do you have?
 
  • #69
//:phoenix:\\ said:
Knowing engineering doesn't make you an engineer correct? What makes you an engineer is the degree proving your claim. Hey! I am a physicist, biologist, engineer, mathematician, botanist, neurological surgeon, and radiologist. Prove it? No, no, no, just take my word on it. I will just use google to complete any task necessary. The only reason you saw it as contradiction was because I lacked clarity and ample explanation.

I was simply replying to a post.

I'm not sure what the point of this post was....it's absurd.
 
  • #70
I'm a student of Aerospace Engineering BEng (Hons) at Kingston Uni London. I was just asking as from a previous post you made I didn't think you had a degree from the context of it. But was going to make the point that a person who has worked in the engineering industry without a degree for a number of years, is going to be more of an engineer than myself.

Now I don't and won't consider myself an engineer until graduation. Do you consider yourself an engineer? or do you have another title?

I'm actually very impressed with what you have put there. Sounds like a very interesting job you have. Hope I can go the same way.
 

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