Road to becoming a Nano Researcher

[Kevin_Axion]

As I see it, there are two primary branches I can take to study and have a career in nanotechnology. There is the nanoengineering degree and the physics and mathematics degree. There are many merits on both sides namely:
Nanoengineering:

More employable without need of PhD
Lack of of full-exposure to the Physics
Already concentrated

Physics and Mathematics:

Not very employable without PhD
Lack of exposure to the breadth of experimentation (manipulating objects and the like)

Many people would question the existence of a nanoengineering degree but U of Toronto has one: http://nano.uoftengineering.com/ . What I want is an exposure to the physics and also be capable of being employable after an undergraduate degree. For instance in the nanoengineering degree I will only have one QM course where as in Physics I will have three. So which approach would others find more satisfying and valuable as I can't decide between them. If I wish to become a nanoengineer, which would be the better route? I've also heard that Eng Sci Nano Option is extraordinarily difficult and they learn the same physics that Physics majors learn in year 2, in year 3 and 4. Also where is there more employability or advancements in research in either Condensed Matter Physics or Nanotechnology (although they overlap).

 

[davidmigl]

Mechanical engineering or Chemistry would also be ways you could get into nanotech. I highly doubt you will actually be getting into much actual nanotech until grad school or your senior year, at least.

 

[Reshma]

Kevin_Axion:

I am currently in one of the many sub-fields of nanotechnology. In most cases, nanotechnology is a graduate degree programme as davidmigl pointed out. But I suppose some universities are starting undergraduate degrees in Nanotechnology. Anyway, in my experience, graduate programmes in nanotech tend to prefer people with "pure" degrees in either engineering (Electrical, Mechanical, Instrumentation etc.) or sciences (Physics, Chemistry).

However, you can take elective subjects or graduate courses in nanotech in your senior year.

 

[Kevin_Axion]

Okay, I'll probably just enter the pure degree: physics/mathematics, I'm not necessarily sure if the nanoengineering degree is even worth it and the pure degrees appear to be more satisfying. I'm not in a rush for a decision, I was just curious.

Thanks, Kevin

 

[physiker_192]

Do which ever you like most, ignore at this stage career options and employability.

You may read here on the forum many discussions on whether or not to go for phd, which degree etc...,,,, try not to draw any conclusions, they would be simply misleading and just a drop in the ocean of the real world.

To explain:
Do you ever see anyone who bought a product complimenting it on the company's forum ?
99.95% the answer is no,,, you only read about people complaining about problems with the product or related to the product, while there are so many many satisfied and happy customers out there.

Back to the Academia:

The nano-stuff degrees are often buzz words,, as you have mentioned its often specialized.
So ignore the name and check the programme contents, whether you like the lectures or not, you don't need to understand what they are about exactly, just whether they follow your interests or not.

BTW, there are many nano-stuff graduate programmes out there,, and with a physics degree you have access to most of them.

I personally think, having a nano-stuff bachelor degree would make it more harder to get a job, in the sense that often most employers don't know where to place you nor what you do. Also what they cover in the bachelor degree can be interdisciplinary and cover a range of topics (bio,chemistry, physics etc) rendering what you learn being shallow.

Remember: any assumptions you make or I make now need not hold later in time (e.g. my above statement on employability) and it may not have any solid basis,, so back to the point, follow what you like most.

I personally have an EE degree with nano-stuff specialization, I don't regret doing EE/nano, but I ended up drifting to a physics grad. degree, physics is truly my passion but in high school I didn't mix with physicists nor I knew what they do.