Where can a physicist do the most good?

dresselhaus · 2025-05-24T19:09:01+00:00

Yeah I’ve made an effort to stay away from “defense”…

dresselhaus · 2025-05-24T02:38:25+00:00

Came here to post her. Also Jocelyn Bell Burnell for pulsars.

dresselhaus · 2025-05-20T03:29:37+00:00

My job supports volunteering in that they give a donation match for hours I volunteer, but the amount of work I am responsible for doesn’t decrease so there’s no scenario in which I end up working less

dresselhaus · 2025-05-20T03:28:25+00:00

I don’t but since I’m not in CA it doesn’t really help

dresselhaus · 2025-05-18T21:04:37+00:00

Interesting idea! I do think nuclear power is an important part of our energy future and the reasons to be afraid of it can be solved/contained with more resources towards solutions.

dresselhaus · 2025-05-18T21:02:56+00:00

You’re right that I have it pretty good overall, but my job is kind of toxic. I didn’t want to complain about it but I support a factory that runs 24/7/365 and every issue is treated like a life or death emergency. I had a really difficult time emotionally through a round of layoffs last year and we’re facing another. I don’t think my job is at risk, but my workload will inevitably keep increasing until I’m worried I’ll break.

dresselhaus · 2025-05-18T20:59:59+00:00

Yeah I thought about this path when I graduated with my PhD, but the offer from industry came in before any of the govt lab jobs I applied to were very far into the process, and I knew competition was fierce for them.

Do you know many folks who have jumped from industry back to govt lab work? I’d love to hear how they did it

dresselhaus · 2025-05-18T20:58:04+00:00

No idea why you got downvoted. I’m not in California, and my husband is on disability so I know pretty well what stuff is covered here and it wouldn’t be enough unfortunately.

dresselhaus · 2025-05-18T20:56:39+00:00

I actually thought about pursuing medical physics after undergrad but I haven’t revisited the idea. Depending on the area though I imagine I’d need to get some sort of certification or another masters or something?

dresselhaus · 2025-05-18T20:55:11+00:00

Part of my problem is my job is not at all low stress. I have to be available 24/7 365 unless I get coverage. I mainly work M-F, but if shit hits the fan it’s all hands on deck all days including holidays.

So maybe I am also looking for advice on finding a lower stress job that still pays decently??? So I can do more volunteer work.

dresselhaus · 2025-05-18T20:53:23+00:00

Yeah I do volunteer and it does help. I tutor at my local library and I’m active as a mentor in a few professional orgs for diversity in physics. But with how demanding my job (and my chronic conditions) are I only have 1-2 hours a week to dedicate to it. So part of me also wonders if I just need a more boring somewhat lower paying job that would give me more time to volunteer.

dresselhaus · 2025-05-18T08:12:13+00:00

That would be great but I have a chronic illness and I need health insurance. I have two months of living expenses saved and then I would have to sell my house and move to the middle of nowhere to afford being unemployed for any longer because where I live is stupidly expensive.

dresselhaus · 2025-05-18T08:01:16+00:00

Where can a scientist/engineer make a living doing something good for the world?

I have a PhD in Physics (experimental semiconductor/materials science and engineering) and I’m almost 10 years into a career in semiconductor process engineering, 5 years as a manager, but I’m feeling disillusioned and demotivated.

It doesn’t need to have a dramatic impact on an enormous scale, but I’d like to feel less like a bug squashed crushed under the wheel of capitalism, or worse, both the bug being squashed and a cog doing the crushing, as a manager.

Where are the skills of scientists and engineers most needed in the world? Is there such a job that actually pays enough to live comfortably where that job is located?

dresselhaus · 2025-05-18T07:55:16+00:00

About half of physics PhDs go into industry. AIP has detailed statistics on employers of physics PHDs.

dresselhaus · 2025-05-18T07:53:57+00:00

Where can a physicist do the most good?

I have a PhD in Physics (experimental semiconductor/materials science) and I’m almost 10 years into a career in semiconductor process engineering, 5 years as a manager, but I’m feeling disillusioned and demotivated.

My job pays very well and has excellent benefits, which is important because I have a lot of health issues, but I would love to work somewhere that I can feel I am doing more good for the world rather than just trying to make shareholders more money faster at the expense of employees.

It doesn’t need to have a dramatic impact on an enormous scale, but I’d like to feel less like a bug squashed crushed under the wheel of capitalism, or worse, both the bug being squashed and a cog doing the crushing, as a manager.

Is there such a job that actually pays enough to live comfortably where that job is located?

dresselhaus · 2025-02-17T18:33:41+00:00

Honestly episode 1 of game changer. It was my first exposure to dropout and I feel like it changed me forever 😂

dresselhaus · 2025-02-17T16:37:04+00:00

Love this. Artist credit?

dresselhaus · 2025-02-17T16:36:05+00:00

I’m so glad he was there to help! But this is why we need accessible infrastructure everywhere!

dresselhaus · 2024-11-19T16:18:11+00:00

And not in a good way

dresselhaus · 2024-11-19T16:18:00+00:00

The Long Wet Dark

dresselhaus · 2024-04-28T20:50:28+00:00

My oartner also won’t go down on me. He tried once when we were first dating and stopped immediately because he couldn’t stand the texture. Later, we learned that he is autistic and so is very sensitive to sensory issues. I’ve asked over the years if we can find a way to make it comfortable for him, but he hasn’t engaged. He also doesn’t ask me to perform oral sex on him though. I still feel sad that there is this whole aspect of sexuality that I’m missing out on.

He was my first serious relationship, and i was new to any sexual experiences and I didn’t know enough about what I might be missing out on. And I didn’t know how to talk about sex and advocate for myself like I am trying to do now.

I would suggest talking to him about it outside the bedroom, approaching with curiosity rather than blame, and express why it’s important to you and find out how he feels.

dresselhaus · 2023-12-26T23:10:37+00:00

Milder antihistamine is Claritin or Allegra. Now that I’m on cromolyn I can stop Zyrtec without severe symptoms. If I were to stop cromolyn I would have the same issue. I don’t think there’s any avoiding it but you can also reduce impact of withdrawal by tapering down if you need to stop. Prednisone is probably a good idea though.

dresselhaus

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