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meta-kid
Participant

Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 2

Newcomer Looking for Guidance

08/12/2009 11:28 PM

I am a new freshman going into Materials Science at U of I, and I am just wondering what you think of your work in the field. I'm also one of the eco-nerds and am wondering if there are good jobs in developing clean tech with this major (photovoltaic cells, high temp superconductor research, etc.)

I just figured that in my quest to find myself, I would see what the real professionals and experts have to say (And if anyone from other fields wants to try to convert me, go ahead and try to convert me ;) ).
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Steve S.
Guru

Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 1790
Good Answers: 87
#1

Re: Newcomer Looking for Guidance

08/13/2009 1:04 AM

Congrats on the new endeavor.

One way to improve your value is to have a global perspective. That includes not assuming that a global forum on the internet is local to where you are. U of I is what? University of Indiana, University of Illinois, University of Iowa, University of India, University of Indonesia???

Secondly, we engineers have enough of an image problem without calling ourselves names (like eco nerd).

Finally, materials science and metallurgy are excellent fields with few entrants and good demand. The kinds of things you mention will certainly be growing fields. Try it out, if you don't like it then chemical engineering, or mechanical engineering would be easy majors to switch to later on with little delay in your progress toward graduation.

Good luck and best wishes.
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meta-kid
Participant

Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 2
#2
In reply to #1

Re: Newcomer Looking for Guidance

08/13/2009 11:58 AM

Thank you very much for the advice, it never really sunk that I need to think on the larger scale of the world to make it in this global economy and society, and thank you for the well wishes, school starts in a week and I'll be needing them. By the way, I am going to University of Illinois.
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PWSlack
Guru
United Kingdom - Member - Indeterminate Engineering Fields - Control Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: In the bothy, 7 chains down the line from Dodman's Lane level crossing, in the nation formerly known as Great Britain. Kettle's on.
Posts: 32175
Good Answers: 839
#3
In reply to #2

Re: Newcomer Looking for Guidance

08/14/2009 3:50 AM

There are readers in this forum from Japan, Indonesia, India, Hungary, Belgium, China, the UK, and dozens of other countries. Welcome.

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 "Did you get my e-mail?" - "The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place" - George Bernard Shaw, 1856
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titi-the-rabbit
Commentator

Join Date: May 2009
Location: Hutch City
Posts: 61
Good Answers: 1
#4
In reply to #2

Re: Newcomer Looking for Guidance

08/14/2009 7:21 AM

Do what attracts you, and just keep globalization aside for know. But be aware, the eco nerds have a cronical tendency to become geeks. Or even worse, they can turn into Al Gore. That would be plain horrible. Keep your eyes on the ball.
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hurdent
Associate

Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 40
Good Answers: 1
#5
In reply to #4

Re: Newcomer Looking for Guidance

08/14/2009 2:28 PM

There I nothing wrong with having s few tree huggers too. Thanks to "Governor Moon Beam" (Jerry Brown from California) we have many bio-mass power stations and I personally helped to build what is still the largest and most successful solar complex in the world. Iowa, where I live now is fast starting to make almost as many wind generators as tractors. Dreamers are where the future is first seen. Do not be afraid of going in a different direction from the crowd. And welcome to the wolrld of engineers and our brethren.

Rich Hurd
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Milo
Guru

Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: "Dancing over the abyss."
Posts: 4884
Good Answers: 243
#6

Re: Newcomer Looking for Guidance

08/14/2009 5:03 PM

If you are sincere about the eco side, you might want to look at minimizing the impacts of manufacturing lifecycle, Making PV silican is not exactly earth friendly.

I would also suggest that mastering some of the old time (ie metallurgy) knowledge rather than being ageneralist in the 'materials science cloud' would be helpful, ultimately, with out metal there is no "materials science" or technology...

Its been a wonderful career path for me.

milo

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 People say between two opposed opinions the truth lies in the middle. Not at all! Between them lies the problem, what is unseeable,eternally active life, contemplated in repose. Goethe
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Steve S.
Guru

Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 1790
Good Answers: 87
#7
In reply to #6

Re: Newcomer Looking for Guidance

08/14/2009 7:26 PM

If you have questions about the field, Milo is certainly the person to ask!!

Take advantage of this opportunity.
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Milo
Guru

Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: "Dancing over the abyss."
Posts: 4884
Good Answers: 243
#8
In reply to #7

Re: Newcomer Looking for Guidance

08/14/2009 10:41 PM

You are too kind, SteveS.

Meta kid's best opportunity is to have connected to this forum at this point in his education. He has a great chance to harvest great experiential answers in most any area from our fellow cr-4 mates. Any Area.

milo

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Milo
Guru

Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: "Dancing over the abyss."
Posts: 4884
Good Answers: 243
#9

Re: Newcomer Looking for Guidance

08/15/2009 10:11 AM

WHat you think of your work in the field...

Existentialjoyofmaterialscience

milo

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 People say between two opposed opinions the truth lies in the middle. Not at all! Between them lies the problem, what is unseeable,eternally active life, contemplated in repose. Goethe
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Users who posted comments:

hurdent (1); meta-kid (1); Milo (3); PWSlack (1); Steve S. (2); titi-the-rabbit (1)

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