Directionless Physics Graduate!

Stargazer7

Hi all,

I guess I'm grasping at straws here as I know it has to be my own decision but I'm looking for some sort of advice or guidance with respect to what the hell I do next, especially from those in a similar field.

I'll give ye a little idea of where I'm at - 1.1 BSc. degree in physics with astronomy achieved in may from DCU. I have a number of research placements under my belt - radioastronomy in UCC for 3 months, photonics in Tyndall for 4 months and lab on a chip research in DCU for 15 months. 3 published papers.

So I think from the above I should be find for getting most phds/masters I would apply for in the uk/ireland at least. I am interested in biophysics/biomedical research but really I'm not sure I want to commit to a phd just yet. Masters would be problematic due to financial situation. I have applied for a few jobs - one in a solar cell company and one as a lab tech in specsavers but no luck. I'm not really interested in the IT/finance side of things which seems to be the main employer of graduates but I'm a researcher at heart.

As I'm unsure about jumping into a phd (I do see myself doing further research at some point, no question of that), should I take some time out? I'm just finding the lack of direction and focus headwrecking. It's only been a few months but I hate being too idle.

Sorry if I babbled above, any questions/advice would be greatly appreciated

Alliandre

Well I certainly don't think you should jump into a PhD if you're not sure you want to do it. It's a lot of work, and it's something you have to really love and be able to commit to.

Stargazer7

Thanks Alliandre. I suppose my conundrum is I do love research and really enjoyed working in DCU in the past but I know that the type of project is very important - I don't feel suited to too much theoretical work so I really want a PhD to be as experiemental as possible. I'm also nervous about the extras PhDs entail - the tutorials/conferences etc. I coped grand with my previous jobs - I had to do a few big presentations and had fortnightly meetings but I'm quite introverted so that sort of stuff scares me!

PanicStations

Have you considered the MSc in Science Communication in DCU? It's a one year taught Masters (so not a very long committment), and may help you in your research career later on, especially with the communication aspects - big presentations and so on.

Padraig Murphy is in charge of it, he's sound, and I think they might take a late application now for starting in September. You can look up Padraig Murphy's contact details on the DCU website, ad more details on the course

Stargazer7

PanicStations wrote: »

Have you considered the MSc in Science Communication in DCU? It's a one year taught Masters (so not a very long committment), and may help you in your research career later on, especially with the communication aspects - big presentations and so on.

Padraig Murphy is in charge of it, he's sound, and I think they might take a late application now for starting in September. You can look up Padraig Murphy's contact details on the DCU website, ad more details on the course

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll look it up. But if it were the case that I'd do a masters I think I'd do a research one if possible...but, like I said, funding is more the issue

djpbarry

PanicStations wrote: »

Have you considered the MSc in Science Communication in DCU?

My missus actually did that course, but the emphasis was more on writing (and some web development) rather than presenting. That said, she graduated in 2003, so the course has likely evolved since then.

But anyway, you don't necessarily need a course to better your presentation skills, you just need practice. Plenty of useful advice/pointers freely available on the web too. But, OP, if you want to pursue a career in science, you're going to have to get over your stage fright! Presenting your work to your peers is part and parcel of science these days.

Stargazer7

djpbarry wrote: »

My missus actually did that course, but the emphasis was more on writing (and some web development) rather than presenting. That said, she graduated in 2003, so the course has likely evolved since then.

But anyway, you don't necessarily need a course to better your presentation skills, you just need practice. Plenty of useful advice/pointers freely available on the web too. But, OP, if you want to pursue a career in science, you're going to have to get over your stage fright! Presenting your work to your peers is part and parcel of science these days.

The thing is in reality I'm probably fine at presenting - I got a great result on my final year thesis presentation and others during the year and often get told I come across as confident. I'm just terribly hard on myself work wise and very ambitious - I was basically doing postgrad work for the year I worked in DCU and got told as much by my supervisor at the end - this was in my deferral year between 3rd and 4th year.

So maybe it's all in my head!:pac:

fred252

you're interested in biophysics/biomedical research. have you considered medical physics?

Stargazer7

fred252 wrote: »

you're interested in biophysics/biomedical research. have you considered medical physics?

I have been looking at biophysics PhDs....finding it hard to see anything in that side of things employment wise though as a graduate.

opinion guy

Stargazer7 wrote: »

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll look it up. But if it were the case that I'd do a masters I think I'd do a research one if possible...but, like I said, funding is more the issue

What about in the UK ? Funding might be better

fred252

Stargazer7 wrote: »

I have been looking at biophysics PhDs....finding it hard to see anything in that side of things employment wise though as a graduate.

phd in neuroscience?

Raphael

If you're interested in the more computational aspects of physics, Bioinformatics likes physicists - I'm just in the start of my PhD with Systems Biology Ireland, and a physics background is one of the things they like.

djpbarry

Stargazer7 wrote: »

I have been looking at biophysics PhDs....finding it hard to see anything in that side of things employment wise though as a graduate.

As a PhD graduate? Biophysics is going to be a massively important area over the coming decades - I really don't think you're going to find employment hard to come by.

Stargazer7

djpbarry wrote: »

As a PhD graduate? Biophysics is going to be a massively important area over the coming decades - I really don't think you're going to find employment hard to come by.

Sorry, I mean just as a undergraduate degree holder i.e. now.

@ Raphael: i wish I liked the computational side! It would make my life so much easier, there seems to be a lot of companies looking for jobs in that area atm. Unfortunately I know I don't have a flair for computing/programming and that I do for experimental so I had to be realistic and put that notion to bed.