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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

#241

Post by dm319 »

conjectures wrote: post #180
ildon wrote: post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

EU Professor here. You're right, expectations are very different in the "old continent". Things very quite significantly from country to country, but generally speaking in most EU you can do your PhD while working. Retrospectively, knowing what I know know, I should add that if I were to start a PhD now I wouldn't trust a university that asks for a full time commitment, no exceptions. I would be very suspicious that…

> in most EU you can do your PhD while working. You really can't at good universities in the UK. At Cambridge we had to get special permission to live more than 10 miles from Great St Mary's. My advisor's advice was that it was near impossible to finish up while working. Had enough of Americans telling me about their excruciatingly long PhD programmes when half of that time is spent teaching and doing exams which we'…

Yes, I have recently completed a PhD at a UK university (aged late 30s). I was able to get full funding for my salary and lab resources for 3 years. I worked so hard and submitted after 4 years. Can't imagine how I could have done those three years while working - it was a very much full-time occupation, if not more.

Re: Physics Student Earns PhD at Age 89

#242

Post by the_only_law »

I don’t even have a bachelors. I’ve been thinking about going back to school and pursing higher levels of education (research masters or PhD) twitch a mostly utilitarian fields and do industrial R&D work in a domain I’ve become interested in and my biggest worry is being “old” by the time I complete any graduate education (even though old in my case, would likely be mid-30s by the end if I start in the coming years).

I might get crucified for being so jaded and cynical, but completed a PhD as part of some lifelong dream seems a bit empty to me. I think it’s fair to call him a physicist, but I just personally wouldn’t feel the dream was realized. Now, at the end of his life, he’s achieved the bare minimum and I doubt he will be able to do much more in the field or see the field develop.

Re: Physics Student Earns PhD at Age 89

#243

Post by JofArnold »

azhenley wrote: post #5
tombert wrote: 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.

My partner took 10 years doing her PhD thesis part time. It was very hard for us both - especially close to the end. I'm 100% with you on this.

Re: Physics Student Earns PhD at Age 89

#244

Post by [deleted] »

zd123 wrote: post #208
cg30e wrote: post #71

This is very inspiring. I too am young and been in the work force for several years, but unlike the other comments in this thread I am not settled down as an older student returning to school. I am willing to give up a high paying salary to return back to school as a PhD student and I am not tied down with a mortgage or anything else. I find mathematics simply too interesting to not learn at the highest level. Workin…

Do you mind sharing the books you found helpful to self learn math with a tutor? I am looking to also go on a self study mathematical journey

[deleted]

Re: Physics Student Earns PhD at Age 89

#245

Post by Loughla »

the_only_law wrote: post #242

I don’t even have a bachelors. I’ve been thinking about going back to school and pursing higher levels of education (research masters or PhD) twitch a mostly utilitarian fields and do industrial R&D work in a domain I’ve become interested in and my biggest worry is being “old” by the time I complete any graduate education (even though old in my case, would likely be mid-30s by the end if I start in the coming years).…

How is completing a super advanced degree in a very specific field 'the bare minimum'?

I feel like taking high school physics would be the bare minimum. Or maybe even getting a bachelor's. But a PhD? That's not the pinnacle of a career, by any means, but it's 100% the pinnacle of an educational experience.

>my biggest worry is being “old” by the time I complete any graduate education

There are 'old' students everywhere in college and graduate school. If you interact with any graduate students from not your home country, 99% of the time, they are much (read: a decade or two) older than the 'regular' student.

Re: Physics Student Earns PhD at Age 89

#246

Post by cg30e »

zd123 wrote: post #208
cg30e wrote: post #71

This is very inspiring. I too am young and been in the work force for several years, but unlike the other comments in this thread I am not settled down as an older student returning to school. I am willing to give up a high paying salary to return back to school as a PhD student and I am not tied down with a mortgage or anything else. I find mathematics simply too interesting to not learn at the highest level. Workin…

Do you mind sharing the books you found helpful to self learn math with a tutor? I am looking to also go on a self study mathematical journey

For sure. I'll list some books for introduction to proofs, abstract algebra, real analysis, topology and category theory. These are not comprehensive, just listing books off the top of my head. I'll definitely be leaving off personal favorites other people have. You'll like some better than others. Some of these are beginner books and some are more advanced. A good tutor can help you get through the more advanced books. I tried to list the most beginner friendly book first in the list under each subject. Then the more advanced books later in the list.

Introduction to Proofs:

Just pick one of these that speaks to you the most. All three are good.

Discrete Mathematics with Applications - Epp

Discrete Mathematics and Its Applications - Rosen

Mathematical Proofs: A Transition to Advanced Mathematics - Chartrand, et al.

Abstract Algebra:

How to Think about Abstract Algebra - Alcock

Abstract Algebra - Pinter

Abstract Algebra: A First Course - Saracino

Algebra - Artin

Abstract Algebra - Herstein

Abstract Algebra - Dummit & Foote

Linear Algebra:

Maybe an engineering based book first if you haven't seen linear algebra in a while (e.g. Strang or Linear Algebra: Step by Step by Singh).

Then:

Linear Algebra - Friedberg, et al

Linear Algebra Done Right - Axler

Linear Algebra - Hoffman & Kunze

Real Analysis:

How to Think About Analysis - Alcock

Understanding Analysis - Abbott

Tao's Analysis text

Principles of Mathematical Analysis - Rudin

Topology:

Topology - Munkres

Topology A Categorical Approach - Tai-Danae Bradley, Tyler Bryson, and John Terilla

Check out this list:

http://pi.math.cornell.edu/~hatcher/Other/topologybooks.pdf for others.

Category theory:

Categories and Toposes: Visualized and Explained - Southwell

Conceptual Mathematics: A First Introduction to Categories - Lawvere

Category Theory for Programmers - Milewski (if you like functional programming)

Programming with Categories - Fong, Milewski, Spivak (if you like functional programming)

Category Theory in Context - Riehl

There are a few others by Spivak which you may like.

If you don't know category theory whatsoever then I like Southwell the best (pair them up with his youtube videos). Eugenia Cheng also has a nice set of lecture videos.

If you already know math pretty well, then Riehl is a favorite.

Hope that helps!

Re: Physics Student Earns PhD at Age 89

#247

Post by MetaWhirledPeas »

the_only_law wrote: post #242

I don’t even have a bachelors. I’ve been thinking about going back to school and pursing higher levels of education (research masters or PhD) twitch a mostly utilitarian fields and do industrial R&D work in a domain I’ve become interested in and my biggest worry is being “old” by the time I complete any graduate education (even though old in my case, would likely be mid-30s by the end if I start in the coming years).…

> Now, at the end of his life, he’s achieved the bare minimum and I doubt he will be able to do much more in the field or see the field develop.

I'm sure the fact that it would inspire others was not lost on him. Or perhaps he did it just so it would be done? There's enjoyment in the journey and the accomplishment.

Re: Physics Student Earns PhD at Age 89

#248

Post by Supermancho »

eric4smith wrote: post #79

Very inspiring story indeed. But the first question resonating in my mind is... Why?? While what the student did is good. It serves as bad inspiration for too many people going to college these days just because they want to. And not because of a reason. If the cost of education was low, then I would not be opposed to it. But we all know stories of people who say they are "going back to school" for very minimal benef…

The purpose of PHDs and the ultimate purpose of college is tied together. A PHD requires conducting a novel and heavily reviewed study to further human knowledge.

The esteem and accolades peppered throughout this discussion are incidental and transitory.

Re: Physics Student Earns PhD at Age 89

#249

Post by purebullshit »

tombert wrote: post #237
vaylian wrote: post #184

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because money isn't everything. Indulging in an intellectual pursuit in an environment that fosters investigative minds can be a wonderful thing.

> Because money isn't everything. I agree, and neither is a PhD, but I don't think that's a great reason. "Why don't we pay teachers a decent wage? Because money isn't everything and helping students grow to the next generation is something that is inspiring in itself." It's easy to say "money isn't everything" when you don't have to worry about money. A single parent is unlikely to be able to quit a decent-paying jo…

> Why don't we pay teachers a decent wage?

Perhaps you meant why teachers are not getting paid more than NBA players. The answer is those people are rare thus in high demand.

Teachers are not rare and are not in high demand.

Re: Physics Student Earns PhD at Age 89

#250

Post by throwaway6734 »

tombert wrote: 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…

It's going to be incredibly difficult to do real research while working full time. Have you considered pursuing a research based master's first?
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