How I learned to love the bends in my career journey by Dr. Judith Gabel
My answers to the question of what a physicist does
After finishing school, I wavered in my choice of subjects to study. I was fascinated by the fundamental questions asked in physics and the methods used to find answers to them. However, I had no idea what a fully trained physicist does. I only got vague answers such as ‘Physicists learn to solve problems, can do everything, and work in every industry sector.’ But what does that even mean? Role models were also few and far between, not even to mention female role models. The only female physicist I could name was Angela Merkel, the German chancellor at that time, which somehow confirmed that a physicist could do everything but did not help me in my conundrum.
LMU München
In the end, I started studying physics but was very unsure about that choice and continued to struggle with the question of the career of a physicist for a long time. At times I only continued my physics studies because I liked the group of people I was working with, and I loved solving riddles, and the physics study had many such problem. This last aspect was also why I was drawn to academic research. Without a clear career path laid out, I decided on my research subjects based as much on coincidences as on interests. I changed from modeling epidemic waves (before the Corona pandemic) in my Bachelor’s thesis to theoretical material science in my Master’s thesis to experimental material science in a second Master’s thesis. Each change brought new learning experiences and new perspectives. I learned various programming languages and technical skills in the laboratory, but also soft skills, e.g., working effectively in a team and getting up to speed on new projects.
With the idea of working in research, I continued in experimental material science, got a Ph.D., and took up a postdoc position at a large-scale research facility in the UK afterward. While I still loved the ‘riddle’ aspect of the work, I mainly used the same routine and method over and over again and became increasingly bored. The research questions were also far from applications and only interesting and helpful to a handful of people, making me question the relevance of my work.
That was why I decided to change track again and work on a different topic, closer to applications and in a different, more public-facing position. Instead of doing research myself, I now develop courses about quantum technologies for professionals in industry. With the quantum world so far removed from everyday life, its principles are alien to the layperson. I now look into effective ways to communicate these concepts of quantum science and its applications to an audience with no technical background. Although no longer active in research myself, I still encounter many ‘riddles’ to think about and have already learned a lot about quantum technologies but also about teaching methods, and organizing collaboration with industry partners, satisfying my curiosity, all while using the soft and hard skills I acquired during my physics studies.
LMU München
I have not followed one predefined career path so far, and I started over several times in a new field and with a new job description. Even though I didn’t always feel that way, in retrospect I realized that this is exactly what I value about my career path and I wouldn’t want to miss any of my experiences. Changing field, I was met with new things to learn and experience and new ‘puzzles’ to solve. My physics studies have helped me to rise to that challenge. Although I started studying disliking the unclear definition of the profession physicist, I ended up loving the possibilities my background in physics afforded me. Through experience, I found that, indeed, a physicist can maybe not do everything but lots of different things, opening up many career paths. Even more important, I learned that a career does not have to be linear but that changing your mind and tracks along the way is okay and, for me, is even more fulfilling.
You can connect with Judith on LinkedIn.
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