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Physics Student Earns PhD at Age 89

brown.edu

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Re: Physics Student Earns PhD at Age 89

#3
This is really cool. I'm 30 right now, and only just recently finished my bachelors and have been looking to get a PhD, but it's really hard to find a program that will let you work full time while doing it. It doesn't help that a part of me does sort of feel "too old" to do this sometimes. The PhD system in the US is really tailored around the assumption that you haven't entered the corporate world yet.

Anyway, it's really inspiring that someone almost three times my age pushed himself through the program. I guess it's important to remember that you really shouldn't give up on your dreams.

Re: Physics Student Earns PhD at Age 89

#5
post #3

This is really cool. I'm 30 right now, and only just recently finished my bachelors and have been looking to get a PhD, but it's really hard to find a program that will let you work full time while doing it. It doesn't help that a part of me does sort of feel "too old" to do this sometimes. The PhD system in the US is really tailored around the assumption that you haven't entered the corporate world yet. Anyway, it's…

Professor here.

You definitely aren’t too old, but I would never take on a PhD student that wants to continue working elsewhere. A PhD is a full-time job. It took me 6.5 years and was hard enough with very little outside distractions.

Re: Physics Student Earns PhD at Age 89

#8
Imagine being referred to like that: "a blonde chemist", "a short philosopher", "a small-nosed mathematician" or "a brown physicist".

Edit. Unless the title really meant "a student of the brown physics department has earned PhD at the age of 89".

Re: Physics Student Earns PhD at Age 89

#9
This gives me hope. I'm not even half his age, but already worry about my brain going. When I was 17 I could do basic calculus in my head. Today I struggle to carry numbers in long addition problems.

It already has me thinking about my career and future - it certainly is downhill from here.

Then something like this happens and just makes me feel like a big baby. Hats off Mr Steiner.

Re: Physics Student Earns PhD at Age 89

#10
post #8

Imagine being referred to like that: "a blonde chemist", "a short philosopher", "a small-nosed mathematician" or "a brown physicist". Edit. Unless the title really meant "a student of the brown physics department has earned PhD at the age of 89".

Brown (university) physicist. No reference to his race.
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