Teaching has been the brunt of ridicule over the past century, partly due to George Bernard Shaw’s (1856-1950) about those who can’t – teach. Supposedly a line from his play, Man and Superman, written in 1903; however, none of the characters give this line. The teaching profession has endured angst from its frequent quotation.
A humorous rendition of the above quote comes from the 1977 movie Annie Hall, starring Woody Allen and Diane Keaton. In the film, Allen states that “and those who can’t teach, teach gym.” Over the years, Shaw’s maxim has been the topic of many op-eds and articles contradicting the quotation.
The captioned query alludes to not wanting to teach – it leaves the door open slightly with the conjunction: If. For most individuals, it is a personal decision as it may not be your dream career choice. That’s understandable. However, in defense of the education system, it is a noble calling to contribute to another’s learning, whether in elementary school or university. Even famous physicists, like Albert Einstein, had a stint teaching. His debut was at the University of Bern after publishing his paper on relativity, which captured little interest. Three students who were his friends attended the first class.
Before abandoning the notion of teaching physics, social scientists, sociologists, and psychologists show that the greater the knowledge, the worse the communication ability. In other words, according to the research, less is more. Less expertise in a subject makes for better teaching skills. At the college level, assistants with a master’s degree may explain the material more comprehensively than a Ph.D. in the discipline.
Organizational psychologist Dr. Adam Grant wrote an opinion on this issue for The New York Times paper in August 2018. He references a study where more than 200 companies hired ex-professors into executive positions. Compared with non-former professors, the ex-teachers produced markedly higher revenues, particularly for those in VP positions. In these positions, these managers were able to flex their academic skills with beneficial results.
Individuals wanting to apply their knowledge and research skills in physics directly to their career may require a master’s degree or higher. The following are employment possibilities for bachelor’s degree holders.
Software Engineer
There are web development, machine learning, and system administration jobs if you have programming language skills, like Python, Java, and C++. Dell Technologies, for example, hires entry-level computer science, mathematics, and physics graduates with bachelor’s degrees as software engineers.
Data Analyst
Again, languages such as SQL and Python and using statistical tools are valuable to this career. The weight of math courses added to computer science bode well to analyze and identify an organization’s trends. Financial analysis is another avenue to work with mathematical models and conducting risk analysis.
Intellectual Property Analyst
Intellectual property is typically the intangibles, like trademarks, patents, designs, slogans, or names that give a company recognition and value. A tangible example is a specific design of a physical item that renders the product unique, or it could be an icon. IP analysts require an understanding of complex data, technological processes, computer skills, and critical thinking. All of which might describe those with a physics degree.
Master’s Degree
At the graduate level, students may have specialized in one of many areas, for example:
- Astrophysics
- Biophysics
- Health or Medical Physics
- Optics
- Engineering Physics
- Cosmology
Each of these provides job opportunities related to your area of concentration. Biophysics combines biology, bioengineering, thermodynamics, and medical physics. Some employment settings are hospitals in radiology, research in pharmaceuticals, medical device technology, and prosthetics.
The study of engineering physics blends chemistry and mathematics with physics. Occupations exist in national laboratories and industries involved in lasers, materials, biotechnology, computer design, microelectronics, software development, and communication technology.
Electrical engineering is another possible field for jobs as it involves fiber networks, mechanics, thermodynamics, integrated circuits, and electromagnetism. Many of which physics programs generally include at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Electromagnetism is a branch of physics dealing with electromagnetic forces between electrically charged particles. Jobs are in the public, governmental, and private sectors in the energy, environmental, health, and defense industries.
Medical physics might interest those who want to combine medicine with physics. A Master of Science in Medical Physics at Creighton University has courses in radiation biophysics, radiation therapy, quantum mechanics, nuclear medicine, and medical imaging. Hospitals, clinics, and imaging centers are healthcare settings where graduates work alongside radiation oncologists, radiologists, nurses, and technicians. Other opportunities exist in consultation, research, technical support, and administration. Closely related to this profession is health physics, which is more concerned with the safe use of radiation. Typical workplaces are hospitals, nuclear plants, consultation, and education.
Robotics has become more pervasive in food and beverage manufacturing, biomedical equipment, electronic components, automobile manufacturing, healthcare, and research. These sectors afford jobs for those with a physics, mechanical engineering, or electrical engineering degree. Ford, for example, uses a robotic dog to create 3D videos of a transmission plant. Because of its size, the robot can go to places inaccessible to humans. The downside is the two-hour battery life and its tedious three mph walking speed.
Opportunities abound for physics majors. According to the American Institute of Physics (AIP), about 50% of bachelor’s physics graduates go directly into the workforce. One in six of them pursue a doctorate, with 30% of these settle into academia.
Additional Resources:
Top 50 Highest Paying Master’s Degrees
Should I take the GRE Physics Subject Exam?
How can a degree in Physics lead to computer programming?
Is there a professional reason to study the history of Physics?
How long is a typical Master’s program in Physics?
Can I get a Ph.D. in Physics and without a Master’s Degree?
What are some topics to include in a personal statement for a Master’s in Physics?
What are some “bridge programs” for a graduate physics program if I don’t have a robust application?
What are some typical requirements to complete before applying for a Master’s in Physics?