Looking to start a new career in physics, need some advice

[Gendibal]

Hello, I will start with some background, I'm 35, I have 2 bachelor's degrees: one in chemical engineering and the other in genetics/biotechnology. In my country there is no major/minor system, so I studied both careers at the same time in different colleges. You would say I have two majors. It was hard but I did it.

However I never like any of them. Since high school I loved physics, I never wanted to be an engineer because I knew the "practical", "apply it" mindset of engineering in general (which was confirmed most of the time studying chem eng), I also didn't like biology, it was boring and too much memory for me. But my parents didn't want me to study physics, because "you won't make money with physics", and they wouldn't support me if I did it, so I took the decision to study a "brand new stem career" and a "engineering".

And because I wasn't happy with any of those careers I never looked for a job in those fields, after college my parents forgot about me and I was free to do whatever as long as I make money. So I became a high school math/science teacher for the last years.
I had the opportunity to do masters or PhDs in Biotech, I have a very good relation with my college teachers and they want me to pursue higher education in Biotech and have the contacts to do so. But, specially during the years of the pandemics, I had some realizations that I don't want to become an investigator in Biotech and conclude my life doing that. I always loved physics (specially theoretical) and decided that I will do just that. Now is my own decision.

I know I don't have the math/physics background required to do so (I've compared my courses of chem eng to physics and they are way different) and I don't have any investigation training related to physics, so I will start with undergrad again.
My fiance supports this idea, and we have a plan for the financial burden I will be during the years of college, so there's no much problem there.

I wanna become an investigator/profesor in theoretical physics. I know I will have to apply to top universities after my graduation, so I have some doubts on how to do it since in my country theres almost zero investigation in theoretical fields and I know that to be accepted for a postgrad is likely you need papers in the field you want.

Most of the investigation here in physics is applied physics which is almost engineering. I am also debating on which college I will go for my undergrad and wonder if the ranking/recognition of the undergrad college matters for the admission for a postgrad or only if the recommendation letters are better if a well known professor write them instead of an unknown one. The doubts with the colleges are related to my health, basically weather on the "better" college really affects me during winter.

Thanks for your time reading this. I will really appreciate your thoughts and the insights on my doubts. I would also like if you have any questions for a more thoughtful answer

 

[Vanadium 50]

35 + 4 years (undergrad) + 7 years (grad) + 2 x 3 years (postdoc) = 52.
65 (retirement) - 52 = 13.

Conclusion: you need to spend more time becoming a professor than you will being a professor. Are you OK with that?

 

[Gendibal]

35 + 4 years (undergrad) + 7 years (grad) + 2 x 3 years (postdoc) = 52.
65 (retirement) - 52 = 13.

Conclusion: you need to spend more time becoming a professor than you will being a professor. Are you OK with that?

Totally, if I die at 50 I will die happy even as a student without any teaching experience.

Basically I came to the realization that I'm pretty sure the last day of my life I will regret not getting into physics if I don't do it.

And in my country the age of retirement for college professors is 75 now, it used to be no age of retirement before 2015. I had professors in their 80s and some in their 90s.

 

[Choppy]

You haven't done any physics and yet you know you want to be a professor in theoretical physics? (This seems to come up here quite often.) There are a lot of people who start out on that path and then figure out that it's not for them, so I guess the first bit of advice is to make sure you have a backup plan if this doesn't work out. (Since you already have a job/career you're probably in an okay position).

Often I advise people to take a couple of night school courses first. Once you have the experience of taking a few courses as a mature student you'll be in a better position to know if quitting your day job is really the right path for you.

It sounds like you've put a lot of thought into the next major hurdle. Most people in their late thirties are thinking along the lines of mortgages, family planning, and financial stability. It sounds like you and your partner have discussed this, which is great. Make sure you also consider the opportunity cost. Consider how much money you are putting away for retirement, etc. while you're a mature student. You likely don't want to be starting to save in your fifties if you can help it. And of course there is time cost. A big chunk of the time that you would otherwise be spending with your partner and kids will be going into your studies if you want to be successful. And that can have consequences. Just because your finance is cool with it now, will they be cool with it in ten years when you have to move to another city or even country for a post doc? Will your kids be happy about leaving their friends? While none of this means you shouldn't pursue your dreams, it's important to think about.

One final thing to consider is how the odds stack up. Of those who graduate with a PhD in physics, only about one in ten of those will end up in an academic career. And that's a pool of highly skilled, highly motivated, hard-working, intelligent people.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Of those who graduate with a PhD in physics, only about one in ten of those will end up in an academic career.

Good point. And that's today. It may be different 15-20 years from now. I have no crystal ball, but do not suspect it will become easier.

 

[CrysPhys]

Totally, if I die at 50 I will die happy even as a student without any teaching experience.

Basically I came to the realization that I'm pretty sure the last day of my life I will regret not getting into physics if I don't do it.

OP: If what you wrote above is not hyperbole, but accurately reflects what you truly feel, then proceed.

For of all sad words of tongue or pen,
The saddest are these: “It might have been!”

-- from Maud Muller by John Greenleaf Whittier

But, as others have told you, even if you do succeed at completing a PhD degree in physics, the chances of you achieving a career as an academic researcher in theoretical physics are slim. Are you willing to accept that after an ~17 yrs journey, you might not reach your target destination? Will the journey in and of itself have been worthwhile? As I wrote in a previous thread:

If you do pursue a PhD in physics, I'll repeat the perspective I've offered many times here: the PhD is not necessarily a means to an end; it can be an end in itself. This is different, e.g., from going to med school or law school. If you do a PhD in physics, you should be motivated by the research in and of itself. After you complete your PhD, you move on. To what exactly is uncertain; too many unknowns. Maybe you'll continue your research as a postdoc and later as a professor; maybe not. Maybe you'll land an R&D position in an industry or government lab; maybe not. Maybe you'll switch out of physics entirely. Whatever the outcome, you don't want to beat yourself up, "Why did I spend all those years getting a PhD in physics? I didn't get the career I had hoped for. Instead, I'm working in X."

And remember, even if you initially get the career you had hoped for, a lot can change in the decades to come, both professionally and personally. So you need to be flexible and adaptable, The ability to pivot is essential.

Can you accept these uncertain outcomes?

 

[CrysPhys]

The doubts with the colleges are related to my health, basically weather on the "better" college really affects me during winter.

Are you familiar with the TV show "Young Sheldon"? He first decided to go to MIT for his physics PhD, but then changed his mind because of the weather in Boston/Cambridge:

https://wiscnews.com/young-sheldon-...deo_1f796346-92a2-583a-9cf0-076791c6644d.html

He headed out to Cal Tech instead.

 

[Vanadium 50]

then changed his mind because of the weather in Boston/Cambridge:

That also explains why he opted out of the Universities of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan...
(and for our Canadian friends, Alberta, Regina....)

 

[Gendibal]

Ty all for your responses. I will clarify some things.

Yes, I know (or I consider) a phD is not a means to an end. I love teaching, so I wanna become a profesor, and (this is important) I live in an underdeveloped country where only a small fraction of college profesors have more than a doctorate. I wanna teach here, so, there's no even need of a PhD. Getting it is just a small bonus for me, I would say this is totally personal, not required to get a job. I will do it only for the love of science.

I'm pretty aware of the uncertainty of the future, I've experienced many unexpected things in my life which made me a planning person. I have a lot of plans B for almost everything like the need of money or the posible outcome that I end up hating research or I end up realizing I'm not smart enough for theory.

I (kinda) know how academia works, as I said, I've studied Genetics and Biotech and I know some people doing PhDs in that area right now. You would say I can ask them, but from what I know (talking to some of them) physics and math are very unique in that regard. And we've studied in on of the best colleges in my country, so I dont know how much of a factor to get acepted in a postgrad is the undegrad college.

Undergrad education here is free for the 5 years of the duration in college, but I can't be back on my former college, so I need to go to another. Which is why I'm thinking on moving to another city due to my health. But the point is, when I said my fiance and I have a plan for the financial burden is because I will only work half time. I'm also one of those people who knows many things (though I'm not a super expert I even have working experience on different things), like I'm very tech savvy, I know amateur electronics, coding and worked some years as a graphic and web designer, etc. So I guess I can work of whatever, dont have a problem. I just love physics and teaching more than other things.

I dont like TBBT, but i know who Sheldon is

 

[CrysPhys]

Which is why I'm thinking on moving to another city due to my health. But the point is, when I said my fiance and I have a plan for the financial burden is because I will only work half time.

Your profile has your location listed as Lima, Peru. For further assistance, you need to clarify what countries you are willing to move to and what weather conditions you are willing to tolerate. If you are planning to work half-time (at least during your new undergrad program; some graduate programs in some countries are fully funded), that of course will extend your timeline out even further.