Resident scientists - PhysOrg.com (press release)
Thu, 22 Jul 2010 22:10:04 GMT+00:00
PhysOrg.com (press release) ... and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA), a first for Northwestern. The University's new GK-12 program is called "Reach for the Stars: Computational Models ...

What computer programming language would be most beneficial for future education/career in Physics?
Q. Hi i'm an A level Physics student hoping to progress onto University and then a career in Physics, with a lean towards Astrophysics at the moment. Anyway it seems as though there are modules at Uni that require you to do computational work, and i've seen it mentioned that knowledge of C could be useful. I would like to know whether it would be beneficial to have a knowledge of C or C++ or any other programming language prior to University. Thanks
Asked by Fexysucker - Thu Oct 15 08:37:55 2009 - - 3 Answers - 0 Comments

A. It used to be FORTRAN all the way. There's still a lot of code written in FORTRAN. But these days FORTRAN is often considered to be somewhat behind the times, and people also recognize that, just because a library is written in some language, it doesn't mean you have to program in that language to use the library. These days, it seems the popular ones include C, C++, MATLAB, Mathematica, and python. C++ is powerful, general, freely available, and accepted by the computer science community. Mathematica is great for symbolic computation but, in my opinion, not good to use for numerics. C and python are often used for quickly coding up fairly simple things but of course can be used for larger projects. MATLAB has gotten exceedingly… [cont.]
Answered by elifino - Thu Oct 15 10:27:50 2009

what i need to get into Stanford?
Q. what kind of SAT score and GPA do i need to get in. also, i have extensive experience in music theory, composition, and performance. i am an eagle scout. i am an intern at the Argonne National Labaratory. i plan to major in Particle Physics and Astrophysics(as one major) and minoring in Computational and Mathematical Engineering. Thanks.
Asked by Trajan - Thu Jul 22 17:34:04 2010 - - 4 Answers - 0 Comments

A. You need something that makes you stand out from the crowd. And, by the sound of things, you've got it. On top of that you'll need a top 10-15% GPA in your school, and 90-95 Percentile SATs nationally. If you can't make the grade or scores cut, it's still possible, with your story, to get in. Focus on a good essay, get your numbers as high as possible, and hope for the best.
Answered by Drew Kristjansson - Thu Jul 22 17:42:29 2010

Which physics Phd program would you do? ?
Q. Just imagining... Phd abroad or phd at home (USA)? I figure since a lot of people are coming to the US to do phds I should try to jump on some of these scholarships out here for phds abroad. The only thing about abroad that I dislike is that I will have to complete a masters before entering and I just want to stay with the same program the entire time so there won't be any time lost. I'm interested in medical physics because this seems to be the best return on a phd ($175k) but I am also interested in computational physics and astronomy/astrophysics/sp ace science. I want to study abroad in Japan, where I don't think there is a Japanese language requirement for phd physics study. Scientists become known for publishing, which most… [cont.]
Asked by Sierra C - Sat Nov 8 10:08:21 2008 - - 3 Answers - 0 Comments

A. There are many more options available in the US, and you are much more likely to have your entire degree paid for if you stay here. Sure, many Asian and European countries have degree programs in English for the sciences (don't forget Germany in your search) but students are not guaranteed funding. In the US, any grad program worth attending will offer you a full tuition waiver and a stipend for teaching classes and/or doing research while you work on your degree. Remember, you can always work on your PhD in the US and travel to other countries to work with collaborators there. I'm doing my PhD in physics (astrophysics) and spend almost as much time in Germany as I do in the US at this point.
Answered by eri - Sat Nov 8 10:58:31 2008