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© 2024 Physicists in the Wild
Description
It might surprise you, but most physics PhD students eventually end up in careers outside of academia. Some leave before graduating, some leave straight after, while others pursue an academic career for years before making the transition. Yet, despite the numbers, current PhD students often find it hard to envision any career beyond the academic horizon. Why? They're simply not exposed to the countless other exciting opportunities available to them.
"Physicists in the Wild" aims to change that.
Join Aggie Branczyk as she interviews physicists who have turned their PhD training into diverse and often unconventional careers. From the corporate world to government, from education to finance, discover the “other” paths traveled by those with graduate training in physics.
Tune in every two weeks to hear the stories of physicists in the wild.
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Aggie works at IBM as a Senior Research Scientist on the Quantum Computational Science team, and the opinions shared in this podcast are her own and are not in any way endorsed by IBM.
11 Episodes
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Aggie Branczyk interviews Jay Lowell, who did his PhD in AMO Physics and is now the Chief Scientist for Boeing Disruptive Computing & Networks. Jay shares with us his winding journey, that started with him wanting to be a fighter pilot, then led him to teaching at the airforce academy, then to managing programs at DARPA, and eventually to an interesting and varied career at Boeing. Jay reflects on the choices he made and what mattered to him as he was pursuing the career that he wanted. H...
Aggie Branczyk interviews Amir Feizpour, who did his PhD in experimental quantum optics and is now the founder & CEO of a company whose goal is to accelerate knowledge discovery for sales teams. Amir reflects on the changes, challenges, and the structured chaos of startup life, emphasizing the newfound importance of organization and health to his personal and professional development. He also offers invaluable insights into navigating the job market, the power of personal projects, and th...
Aggie Branczyk interviews Cristina Escoda, who did her PhD in string theory, and is now the co-founder & managing partner of an early-stage biotech venture capital firm, an angel investor, and a writer. Cristina’s remarkable career takes her from physics & philosophy, to film school, to an MBA, to working on the trading floor in New York, to a hedge fund, and a stint doing data science at a life sciences startup, before joining the world of VC. In this episode, she shares how she’s in...
Aggie Branczyk interviews Brigette Oakes, who did her PhD in Engineering Physics, and is now the Director of Propulsion in the aerospace industry. Brigette shares her typical, balancing design reviews, technical advice, and leadership responsibilities for a team of 65. She discusses her journey from an individual contributor to a leadership role, and how her background in theoretical physics shaped her approach in aerospace. Brigette also sheds light on the importance of networking, even as a...
Aggie Branczyk interviews Riccardo Di Sipio, who did his PhD in experimental particle physics and now works as a machine learning developer. Riccardo’s academic journey took him to the ATLAS experiment at CERN, where he contributed to groundbreaking work, including the discovery of the Higgs boson. He discusses how exciting this was but also how it ultimately led to him pursuing a career outside of academia. He shares his insights on transitioning into industry, gives us a glimpse into his da...
Aggie Branczyk dives into conversation with Emily Petroff, a former Astrophysics postdoc who is now the Associate Director for Strategic Partnerships, Grants, and Awards at Perimeter Institute. Emily gives us a glimpse into her typical workweek: a dynamic mix of internal collaborations and external interactions, and describes the essential skills for success in her role. She offers genuine advice to current Ph.D. students, emphasizing the power of authentic networking and dispelling the myth ...
Aggie Branczyk interviews Bety Rodriguez-Milla, a former condensed matter physics researcher who found her niche as a software developer. Bety talks about how she discovered her love of coding during her PhD and the epiphany that led her to reconsider her plan to stay in academia. Her journey took her from project management to data engineering and ultimately to software development. Bety’s story highlights the advantages of being adaptable and open to trying new things, as well as the benefi...
Aggie Branczyk sits down with Katiuscia Cassemiro, a former assistant professor in Quantum Optics who transitioned into the role of managing editor at PRX Quantum. Throughout the conversation, Katiuscia sheds light on the world of scientific publishing from the editor's perspective: from addressing challenges like emotional responses from authors and the shortage of referees, to the delightful and surprising aspects of her job. Katiuscia also shares why she eventually chose to change careers,...
In this episode, Aggie Branczyk interviews Juan Ignacio Cayuso, a former cosmology PhD student from the Perimeter Institute (Waterloo, Canada) who is now thriving as a data scientist in e-commerce. Juan touches on the importance of communication, the pressures of quick decision-making, and how he managed the transition. With insights on networking, recognizing one's skills, and seeking mentorship, this episode is a guiding light for anyone contemplating a similar journey. Hear about his...
Aggie Branczyk sits down with Ekaterina Babourina-Brooks, a former theoretical quantum information PhD student at the University of Queensland (Brisbane, Australia) who moved to the UK to become a high school teacher. Ekaterina combined her physics education with an apprenticeship-style teaching program designed to accelerate the transition of professionals into teaching roles. Now she's back in Australia where she teaches physics and math. In this episode, Ekaterina talks about her day-to-da...
In this first episode, Aggie Branczyk sits down with Rohan Dalton, a former experimental quantum optics researcher turned data engineer in the fintech industry. Rohan shares his personal journey that took him from the University of Queensland (Brisbane, Australia) to a hedge fund in New York City, discussing how he leveraged his problem-solving skills and self-taught programming knowledge to excel in his new role. This episode offers valuable insights into the importance of adaptability, ...
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