Professional Physicists - Consulting

Consultants utilize physics knowledge and/or problem solving skills to give counsel to others.

Job title:
Business Leadership Consultant

Educational background:
M.S. Physics, Experimental Physics, Surface Analysis
B.S. Physics and Chemistry (double major)

What do you do?
I enable business leaders to achieve results that seem impossible, but are just very difficult, by going for partial credit, just like in physics during college!

Why did you decide to pursue a physics-related career?
I loved science and wanted to learn something that would help me fundamentally understand the world.

How has your physics background helped you in your career?
My experience in physics helped me understand that I could tackle things that seemed impossible and, through tenacity and hard work, I could make progress on these challenges. This was perfect preparation for being a business consultant because business consulting often involves extremely complex and seemingly impossible situations. Most people assume these situations can’t be solved, but I find that progress can be made by those who don't think it's impossible.

How have you balanced family and career commitments?
I chose not to have a family. My husband is a busy career-minded person and doesn't expect me to spend much time for him. My cats don't take much care. I have chosen to put my work first throughout my life because I believe that what I am doing matters and makes a positive difference. Even relatives and friends know that my work comes first. Lately, I have been thinking of changing my priorities because I am approaching 50 years old and have had just about enough of career.

Do you have any advice for college students who are interested in pursuing careers in physics?
Do it! Physics is a fabulous preparation for any career where critical thinking, problem-solving and creativity are required. Physics is a systems-thinking approach to understanding the world. It is a very effective way to prepare for many careers, even careers that do not yet exist. Considering that the world is changing so quickly that we can't expect to learn specific technology and stay relevant. But physics and the disciplined thought that goes with it will serve you very well throughout your career.

Job title:
Technical Consultant

Educational background:
B.S. Physics
M.S. Physics
Ph.D. Space Physics and Astronomy

What do you do?
My research interests are varied, but they all come down to figuring out how light is likely to move through various media at various wavelengths.

My consulting consists of translating the science to the layperson who needs knowledge. This means helping Department of Defense or Department of Homeland Security determine optimal detection techniques, configurations, data handling, etc.

Why did you decide to pursue a physics-related career?
An exciting year of physics in college led to a fellowship at NASA as a freshman. I like to ask simple questions - so this is a natural fit.

How has your physics background helped you in your career?
During my time studying, working at NASA and at Los Alamos National Laboratory, I was allowed a large latitude to study the topics that I found most interesting. Since leaving Los Alamos, my knowledge honed in the lab has been my biggest asset.

How have you balanced family and career commitments?
I have had problems with that balance. The consulting work allows me to live with my spouse (for years we commuted). It leaves me feeling undervalued and without colleagues sometimes. Sometimes, though, it is optimal. I make my own hours around the baby. And, to be honest, I do have the family I want and will return to a more full time career in the next four years.

Do you have any advice for college students who are interested in pursuing careers in physics?
Do research (whether in the lab or with a professor working with a computer) as early and often as you can. There is no better way to determine whether this is the right career than starting living the life of a professional in the field.