4 ms·

I'm always interested in hearing about these people who go and get a PhD in an unrelated field to their original studies, often years after leaving university a

I'm always interested in hearing about these people who go and get a PhD in an unrelated field to their original studies, often years after leaving university and working in an industry. Here it says Hasabis did an undergraduate degree in a computer science program, and them spent a decade working on computer games at studios, and then somehow just rocked up to a university and asked to do a PhD in neuroscience. I feel if I tried to do that in the US- (where I got a masters degree in engineering, spent a 15 yrs as an aerospace engineer,)- tried to go back and ask to do a PhD in, say, Physics - I'd be promptly told to go fuck myself (or, fuck myself but then enroll in a new undergrad or maaaybe graduate program only after re-taking GRE's. Straight PhD? Never heard it work like that.)

triceratops 2y ago
Aerospace engineering masters -> Physics PhD doesn't sound like a big leap to me. I don't think that's accurate.
shnock 2y ago
I think PhD's are generally different enough in Europe vs the US that this might be less surprising upon further research
biofox 2y ago
I have known a several people who made the jump from Computer Science to Biology at graduate school. Usually, it's either via genomics or neuroscience (as in Hassabis' case), where there is a large need for people who can do data crunching or computational modelling.
adastra22 2y ago
Why do you think that? It’s not my experience. At the grad school level they’ll take anyone who can do the work and is interested. Outside experience, even in unrelated fields, is often a plus. Grad students just out of undergrad have no idea how the world works.
deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
bonoboTP 2y ago
That may be more true in a super crowded and hot area, like AI now where reputable profs get dozens of PhD applicants per position, who all have already published relevant works in the field at top venues during their masters. In more chill fields where the waters are relatively calm, this may be less of an issue. But let's also consider the fact that Hassabis did his undergrad at the University of Cambridge, likely with excellent results. He wasn't just some random programmer.
- hackernewds 2y ago
  you assume likely with excellent results. perhaps his results weren't excellent?
  - suriya-ganesh 2y ago
    likely because hassabis was a child prodigy. Was a chess master at 13. Lead Cambridge chess team. its not surmise to assume that demis had impeccable school record
    - robotelvis 2y ago
      Demis was a legend at Cambridge. I was in CS a few years below him. He would have had very strong recommendations from professors.
Windchaser 2y ago
I made the jump from mostly-math undergrad to materials science PhD (close to chemistry/physics, if you don't know the field). I was welcomed with open arms. If you've got any math-heavy STEM graduate degree, you can likely jump into a physics PhD. You might need to take some senior-level undergraduate courses to catch up, but the transition is quite doable. At some point, your overall intelligence, enthusiasm, and work ethic matter more than your specific background.
jltsiren 2y ago
There is a lot of variation in how PhD studies work. In some places, you are just a faceless candidate applying to a department, which discourages you from contacting the faculty before you are admitted. In other places, you must convince a professor to supervise and fund you before you are even allowed to apply. Some universities require you (or your supervisor) pay tuition fees for a number of years before you can graduate, while others don't care what you do, as long as you can produce a thesis that meets their standards. You can jump from social sciences to STEM. Your formal admission can wait for a year or two after you actually started. Or you can move to another university and get a PhD in a few months, because the administrative requirements in the original one were too unreasonable. These things happen, because universities are independent organizations that like doing things their own way.
jerjerjer 2y ago
PhD is a thankless, low paid position with insane hours and zero guaranteed return. Outside of a few elite programs and universities getting into PhD program is fairly easy - they take anyone qualified.
77pt77 2y ago
> tried to go back and ask to do a PhD in, say, Physics - I'd be promptly told to go fuck myself Only if you need money. If you pay the tuition they'll receive you with open arms. I've seen this for a guy is his mid to late 30s. As everything in the states, it's completely pay to play and largely pay to win.
- chermi 2y ago
  What? Physics programs don't work like that, at least not T1-2 ones I know about. A physics PhD is not pay to play and anyone thinking it is would fail out on their qual at every university I'm familiar with.
  - 77pt77 2y ago
    > and anyone thinking it is would fail out on their qual That I don't know but I have my doubts. This was in a very well know university, so make of it what you wish. I won't give any further details.

triceratops 2y ago

Aerospace engineering masters -> Physics PhD doesn't sound like a big leap to me. I don't think that's accurate.

shnock 2y ago

I think PhD's are generally different enough in Europe vs the US that this might be less surprising upon further research

biofox 2y ago

I have known a several people who made the jump from Computer Science to Biology at graduate school. Usually, it's either via genomics or neuroscience (as in Hassabis' case), where there is a large need for people who can do data crunching or computational modelling.

adastra22 2y ago

Why do you think that? It’s not my experience. At the grad school level they’ll take anyone who can do the work and is interested. Outside experience, even in unrelated fields, is often a plus. Grad students just out of undergrad have no idea how the world works.

deleted 2y ago

[deleted]

bonoboTP 2y ago

That may be more true in a super crowded and hot area, like AI now where reputable profs get dozens of PhD applicants per position, who all have already published relevant works in the field at top venues during their masters. In more chill fields where the waters are relatively calm, this may be less of an issue. But let's also consider the fact that Hassabis did his undergrad at the University of Cambridge, likely with excellent results. He wasn't just some random programmer.

hackernewds 2y ago
you assume likely with excellent results. perhaps his results weren't excellent?
- suriya-ganesh 2y ago
  likely because hassabis was a child prodigy. Was a chess master at 13. Lead Cambridge chess team. its not surmise to assume that demis had impeccable school record
  - robotelvis 2y ago
    Demis was a legend at Cambridge. I was in CS a few years below him. He would have had very strong recommendations from professors.

Windchaser 2y ago

I made the jump from mostly-math undergrad to materials science PhD (close to chemistry/physics, if you don't know the field). I was welcomed with open arms. If you've got any math-heavy STEM graduate degree, you can likely jump into a physics PhD. You might need to take some senior-level undergraduate courses to catch up, but the transition is quite doable. At some point, your overall intelligence, enthusiasm, and work ethic matter more than your specific background.

jltsiren 2y ago

There is a lot of variation in how PhD studies work. In some places, you are just a faceless candidate applying to a department, which discourages you from contacting the faculty before you are admitted. In other places, you must convince a professor to supervise and fund you before you are even allowed to apply. Some universities require you (or your supervisor) pay tuition fees for a number of years before you can graduate, while others don't care what you do, as long as you can produce a thesis that meets their standards. You can jump from social sciences to STEM. Your formal admission can wait for a year or two after you actually started. Or you can move to another university and get a PhD in a few months, because the administrative requirements in the original one were too unreasonable. These things happen, because universities are independent organizations that like doing things their own way.

jerjerjer 2y ago

PhD is a thankless, low paid position with insane hours and zero guaranteed return. Outside of a few elite programs and universities getting into PhD program is fairly easy - they take anyone qualified.

77pt77 2y ago

> tried to go back and ask to do a PhD in, say, Physics - I'd be promptly told to go fuck myself Only if you need money. If you pay the tuition they'll receive you with open arms. I've seen this for a guy is his mid to late 30s. As everything in the states, it's completely pay to play and largely pay to win.

chermi 2y ago
What? Physics programs don't work like that, at least not T1-2 ones I know about. A physics PhD is not pay to play and anyone thinking it is would fail out on their qual at every university I'm familiar with.
- 77pt77 2y ago
  > and anyone thinking it is would fail out on their qual That I don't know but I have my doubts. This was in a very well know university, so make of it what you wish. I won't give any further details.