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> Lots of physicists ended up working in business. But usually still in roles that benefited from their studies.

by lixtra 5y ago

Apocryphon 5y ago
Studying complex financial instruments? https://youtu.be/Elyfo1DIlzs https://youtu.be/Elyfo1DIlzs
- username90 5y ago
  Most of a physics degree is applied maths. If they use their math skills the degree wasn't a waste.
  - native_samples 5y ago
    Technically, parts of the degree were wasted (everything to do with actual physics) and the maths education was just a side effect that could have been given more efficiently with a maths degree (or even some other kind of education).
pyuser583 5y ago
Possibly … I know quite a few of these (now retired) ex-physicists. Most got jobs that only expected a Bachelors, not an advanced degree at all. But I’m sure there’s selection bias here.
acatnamedjoe 5y ago
And arguably lots of non-technical roles benefit from social science / humanities studies. If you want to lead a team, or eventually a large organisation, there are worse things you could do than spend 3 years learning about people.
- coldtea 5y ago
  >And arguably lots of non-technical roles benefit from social science / humanities studies. If by "benefit" you mean "are filled with busywork and the latest cultural biases and performative ceremonies", then yes :-)
- b9a2cab5 5y ago
  If you want to lead a technical team or technical organization you should be technical. Developing people skills doesn't take a degree in gender studies. It merely takes giving a shit about improving and talking to people. Non-technical leadership leading a technical company is why Intel is in the dire straits it is today. When you put a marketing person in charge of Xeon and they parrot about diversity instead of executing on the business it's obvious where the problem is. Notice all the competition is led by technical leadership: AMD is led by a PhD in EE, Nvidia a Masters in EE. Intel's former leadership was technical until they were pushed out by non-technical bean counters.

> Lots of physicists ended up working in business. But usually still in roles that benefited from their studies.

by lixtra 5y ago

> Lots of physicists ended up working in business. But usually still in roles that benefited from their studies.

Apocryphon 5y ago

Studying complex financial instruments? https://youtu.be/Elyfo1DIlzs https://youtu.be/Elyfo1DIlzs

username90 5y ago
Most of a physics degree is applied maths. If they use their math skills the degree wasn't a waste.
- native_samples 5y ago
  Technically, parts of the degree were wasted (everything to do with actual physics) and the maths education was just a side effect that could have been given more efficiently with a maths degree (or even some other kind of education).

pyuser583 5y ago

Possibly … I know quite a few of these (now retired) ex-physicists. Most got jobs that only expected a Bachelors, not an advanced degree at all. But I’m sure there’s selection bias here.

acatnamedjoe 5y ago

And arguably lots of non-technical roles benefit from social science / humanities studies. If you want to lead a team, or eventually a large organisation, there are worse things you could do than spend 3 years learning about people.

coldtea 5y ago
>And arguably lots of non-technical roles benefit from social science / humanities studies. If by "benefit" you mean "are filled with busywork and the latest cultural biases and performative ceremonies", then yes :-)
b9a2cab5 5y ago
If you want to lead a technical team or technical organization you should be technical. Developing people skills doesn't take a degree in gender studies. It merely takes giving a shit about improving and talking to people. Non-technical leadership leading a technical company is why Intel is in the dire straits it is today. When you put a marketing person in charge of Xeon and they parrot about diversity instead of executing on the business it's obvious where the problem is. Notice all the competition is led by technical leadership: AMD is led by a PhD in EE, Nvidia a Masters in EE. Intel's former leadership was technical until they were pushed out by non-technical bean counters.