- #1
Ex1
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Hi folks,
I am trying to choose between two PhD scholarships. They are both at the same university & both research groups have excellent reputations.
I'm being pressured by the university to make a decision by Monday. They're British PhDs so I'm assigned to my research topic right from the first day.
One is a Space Instrumentation related project. Probably something to do with future X-ray missions, working with two great nearing retirement profs who have had a lot to do with NASA and ESA throughout their careers.
The other is a Theoretical Astrophysics project doing N-body simulations of galaxy mergers and interactions, and preparing for data from a major space mission that will be launching just after the end of the PhD (so good post doc prospects?). This would be with a younger supervisor but still a full professor who is more organised and more keen, but who I wasn't so keen on when I met him. (Although it is evident that he liked me - he has made himself really available to answer questions about what we'd work on, unlike the Instrumentation guys.)
In my first degree (physics with astrophysics) and masters (satellite engineering/Martian environment) I've always erred on the practical side of things, so I was surprised to be offered a theory place. I've been trying to convince myself that I should go for the theory but I am under no illusions - I am only an average mathematician.
If I did go for theory, would I be stuck at a computer doing differential equations all day or do the theory PhDs get to go and do fun stuff too?
What are the prospects like afterwards?
Would I be mad?
Would I be excluded from doing anything practical ever again?
All thoughts welcome! Thanks in advance!
I am trying to choose between two PhD scholarships. They are both at the same university & both research groups have excellent reputations.
I'm being pressured by the university to make a decision by Monday. They're British PhDs so I'm assigned to my research topic right from the first day.
One is a Space Instrumentation related project. Probably something to do with future X-ray missions, working with two great nearing retirement profs who have had a lot to do with NASA and ESA throughout their careers.
The other is a Theoretical Astrophysics project doing N-body simulations of galaxy mergers and interactions, and preparing for data from a major space mission that will be launching just after the end of the PhD (so good post doc prospects?). This would be with a younger supervisor but still a full professor who is more organised and more keen, but who I wasn't so keen on when I met him. (Although it is evident that he liked me - he has made himself really available to answer questions about what we'd work on, unlike the Instrumentation guys.)
In my first degree (physics with astrophysics) and masters (satellite engineering/Martian environment) I've always erred on the practical side of things, so I was surprised to be offered a theory place. I've been trying to convince myself that I should go for the theory but I am under no illusions - I am only an average mathematician.
If I did go for theory, would I be stuck at a computer doing differential equations all day or do the theory PhDs get to go and do fun stuff too?
What are the prospects like afterwards?
Would I be mad?
Would I be excluded from doing anything practical ever again?
All thoughts welcome! Thanks in advance!
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