Career Advice - Applying for a PhD

Kohl

Hello to all,

I've seen a physics PhD in Trinity College Dublin that I would be interested in. I finished my OU degree this year and gained a 2.1 and a distinction in my final year project.

My question is, whats the best way to approach a potential supervisor? I don't have any research experience and my project was a literature review with no active research component. Would it be more sensible to do a MSc first? Could someone give me some advice on this please.

Thanks.

Podge_irl

Plenty of people will go into a PhD without any major research experience, particularly in a field such as physics. You should contact the potential supervisor saying you are interested and asking if there is any literature you should look up to increase your knowledge of the area.

It is not the norm (as far as I'm aware) to do an MSc first in Ireland.

Also, my last piece of advice is don't do it :P

DN1

I would not worry about not having any prior research experience. Most people only have completed a 4th year research project, which at the time you think is a big deal, but it is not. Just go and see the researcher in question, better to e-mail him/her first and explain why you are interested and why you think you think you are the right person for the job. Supervisors want to see that you have thought about the project before you go and see them that you have spent time considering why you are going to devote the next few years of your life on this research project and not on another one.
But my most important piece of advice is that we already have too many PhD's in this country. I know research is very fashionable, but you have to ask yourself some very hard questions regarding what career path will it open for you, I mean not some nebulous idea of a career, but an actual one. I did a Ph.D. in biochemistry in the 1990's, did postdocing in the States, the UK, wrote a research grant, but eventually went back to university in Scotland to study pharmacy, as the jobs for these more educated scientists (those with PhD's) simply do not exist here in Ireland, or at least in meaningful numbers. So, you will want to think of your next step very carefully and not get swayed by what one senior academic will tell you about potential future career prospects with a PhD. Ask around in different research labs, people who are finishing PhD's or have been postdocing for a few years, what they think and only after talking to them, amke your decision.

DN.

Kohl

DN1 wrote: »

I would not worry about not having any prior research experience. Most people only have completed a 4th year research project, which at the time you think is a big deal, but it is not. Just go and see the researcher in question, better to e-mail him/her first and explain why you are interested and why you think you think you are the right person for the job. Supervisors want to see that you have thought about the project before you go and see them that you have spent time considering why you are going to devote the next few years of your life on this research project and not on another one.
But my most important piece of advice is that we already have too many PhD's in this country. I know research is very fashionable, but you have to ask yourself some very hard questions regarding what career path will it open for you, I mean not some nebulous idea of a career, but an actual one. I did a Ph.D. in biochemistry in the 1990's, did postdocing in the States, the UK, wrote a research grant, but eventually went back to university in Scotland to study pharmacy, as the jobs for these more educated scientists (those with PhD's) simply do not exist here in Ireland, or at least in meaningful numbers. So, you will want to think of your next step very carefully and not get swayed by what one senior academic will tell you about potential future career prospects with a PhD. Ask around in different research labs, people who are finishing PhD's or have been postdocing for a few years, what they think and only after talking to them, amke your decision.

DN.

That's sound advice. Thanks. The area of research is in semiconductors, if that makes any difference.

kevmy85

Kohl wrote: »

That's sound advice. Thanks. The area of research is in semiconductors, if that makes any difference.

I suppose there is Intel - but then do you need to have a PhD to get to do what you want to do there?

The question with a PhD, for me at least, is do you want to do it regardless of job prospects?
I don't buy the you won't have a job in Ireland if you do a PhD line. I do understand the if you want to reach the top in your chosen field of research you probably won't do that by staying in Ireland. However many people are happy to do a PhD for the intellectual challenge and then accept a job that they may have been able to get with a degree or MSc.

The point I think most people who have completed a PhD will agree on is don't do a PhD for the money.

ledgearooni

kevmy85 wrote: »

I do understand the if you want to reach the top in your chosen field of research you probably won't do that by staying in Ireland.

What about Prof. Luke O'Neill, Johnny Coleman or John Boland, think they'd beg to differ!

Kohl

kevmy85 wrote: »

I suppose there is Intel - but then do you need to have a PhD to get to do what you want to do there?

The question with a PhD, for me at least, is do you want to do it regardless of job prospects?
I don't buy the you won't have a job in Ireland if you do a PhD line. I do understand the if you want to reach the top in your chosen field of research you probably won't do that by staying in Ireland. However many people are happy to do a PhD for the intellectual challenge and then accept a job that they may have been able to get with a degree or MSc.

The point I think most people who have completed a PhD will agree on is don't do a PhD for the money.

Well I am interested in the research area of the PhD that I am going to apply for. That's my motivation. In terms of jobs, if I have to leave Ireland after it, then that's fine.