Just began to look at article, online, by highlighting and right-clicking, choosing "New Tab" and found https://physicstoday.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/PT.3.5082 . The first interesting discussion is the "Master-apprentice" method...apostolosdt said:An interesting article has appeared in Physics Today, Vol. 75, Issue 9 (2022), p. 46., "How to become a successful physicist," by Carl Wieman of Stanford.
Something I do not find in the article, so which is therefore missing, is The process or processes which any successful physicist follows BEFORE formally studying Physics, etc., in school. Most students "begin their serious studies" at age of about 17, 18, 19. We should try to understand, what should be happening between age 1 and age 17, if someone is to become a successful physicist, or engineer, or biological scientist, or whatever.apostolosdt said:An interesting article has appeared in Physics Today, Vol. 75, Issue 9 (2022), p. 46., "How to become a successful physicist," by Carl Wieman of Stanford.
I think Wieman's research group has confined its scope to postgrad years. Your comment, however, is interesting. I guess each one of us has a different story to tell.symbolipoint said:Something I do not find in the article, so which is therefore missing, is The process or processes which any successful physicist follows BEFORE formally studying Physics, etc., in school. Most students "begin their serious studies" at age of about 17, 18, 19. We should try to understand, what should be happening between age 1 and age 17, if someone is to become a successful physicist, or engineer, or biological scientist, or whatever.
YES! I AM SERIOUS ABOUT THIS!symbolipoint said:Something I do not find in the article, so which is therefore missing, is The process or processes which any successful physicist follows BEFORE formally studying Physics, etc., in school. Most students "begin their serious studies" at age of about 17, 18, 19. We should try to understand, what should be happening between age 1 and age 17, if someone is to become a successful physicist, or engineer, or biological scientist, or whatever.
The article focusses on training of PhD candidates by a thesis advisor. In the US, this phase would typically begin after completion of a bachelor's degree and after acceptance into a research group (in some US universities, students are not accepted into a research group until they have successfully passed their qualification exams). Hence, students would typically be ~21 or so. During the thesis research, the advisor has primary external (other than the students') responsibility ...and control... over the future success of the students.symbolipoint said:Something I do not find in the article, so which is therefore missing, is The process or processes which any successful physicist follows BEFORE formally studying Physics, etc., in school. Most students "begin their serious studies" at age of about 17, 18, 19. We should try to understand, what should be happening between age 1 and age 17, if someone is to become a successful physicist, or engineer, or biological scientist, or whatever.
The passage finally begins to say something about what I asked, but does not take any paths. Should I register a new topic? I simply (or not so simply) asked, based purely on the title of the topic here, "How to become a successful physicist".CrysPhys said:Prior to the thesis research, there is a multitude of teachers (and other individuals), not a single individual, who influence the future success of the students. If you rewind enough, then the number of factors that influence students' future success in any particular field explodes (parents, family, friends, family economic status, country, neighborhood, government, educational opportunities, religion, culture, gender, ...)
Please do not shout.symbolipoint said:YES! I AM SERIOUS ABOUT THIS!
The fact that an article which someone else used to start a thread, does not happen to address a question you personally find important, does not mean that information is "missing" from the article.symbolipoint said:which is therefore missing
Since you appear to be asking about something different from the topic of the article referenced in the OP, yes, you should start a new thread.symbolipoint said:Should I register a new topic?
In the US, students typically finish their bachelor's degree at 22. I joined my PhD research group in the second half of my second year of grad school, i.e. at about age 24.CrysPhys said:The article focusses on training of PhD candidates by a thesis advisor. In the US, this phase would typically begin after completion of a bachelor's degree and after acceptance into a research group (in some US universities, students are not accepted into a research group until they have successfully passed their qualification exams). Hence, students would typically be ~21 or so.
Yes. There's a spread of ages. That's why I intentionally had the vague wording "~21 or so". I didn't want to get into the nuances of a kid's birthdate, cutoff date for entering kindergarten, and, if a kid's birthdate is close to the cutoff date, whether the parents are comfortable with the kid being among the youngest in the entering kindergarten class or whether the parents hold back the kid for a year (so the kid will be among the oldest).jtbell said:In the US, students typically finish their bachelor's degree at 22. I joined my PhD research group in the second half of my second year of grad school, i.e. at about age 24.
And then there are kids like me... I skipped an early grade. After that, I was a year younger than most of my classmates in school, college, and grad school.CrysPhys said:I didn't want to get into the nuances of a kid's birthdate, cutoff date for entering kindergarten, and, if a kid's birthdate is close to the cutoff date, whether the parents are comfortable with the kid being among the youngest in the entering kindergarten class or whether the parents hold back the kid for a year (so the kid will be among the oldest).
The path to becoming a successful physicist typically involves obtaining a bachelor's degree, followed by a master's degree and a PhD in physics. This can take anywhere from 8-12 years of education.
In addition to a strong foundation in mathematics and science, successful physicists possess critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills. They also have a passion for learning, a curiosity about the natural world, and the ability to communicate complex ideas effectively.
No, there are many opportunities for physicists in industries such as healthcare, technology, and government. However, working in academia can provide access to cutting-edge research and collaboration opportunities.
Research experience is crucial for developing the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the field of physics. It also demonstrates to potential employers or graduate schools that you have hands-on experience in conducting experiments and analyzing data.
My advice would be to never stop learning and to always stay curious. Take advantage of research opportunities, network with other physicists, and don't be afraid to ask questions. Also, be persistent and resilient, as a career in physics can be challenging but also incredibly rewarding.