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Chemistry Forums for Students => Physical Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: CarinBiederwolf on July 16, 2010, 12:22:34 AM

Title: What is the application of Physical Chemistry?
Post by: CarinBiederwolf on July 16, 2010, 12:22:34 AM

Hi, I am majoring in Physical Chemistry in one of the University of California. I am wondering what I can do with the degree after I graduate. I do want to do research, but I have no idea which field I can go to. I want to start doing research now, and still figuring out which field I like.
Does anyone know how and where to find information about physical chemistry online? Like the jobs, research, etc.?

Title: Re: What is the application of Physical Chemistry?
Post by: McCoy on July 16, 2010, 05:00:37 AM

I'm assuming that you're undergraduate at the moment you're already measuring in physical chemistry. Well what about other parts of chemistry? is it not that you do whole of chemistry at undergraduate and then major in some part of the chemistry after graduating? Because in that way, you stand a high chance of getting jobs as you have a basis knowledge of undergrad chemistry.
Nevertheless, here are what you can do as a physical chemist:

1. Teaching
2. Drug design where calculations that require computational knowledge
3. Research Fellow, Theoretical (Quantum) Chemistry
4. etc
there are many things a physical chemist can do, but i think the analytical chemists have the upper hand (not how much they earn, but the ease of getting job). Remember there are two types of physical chemists: theoretical and experimentalists.....experimentalists find job easily!
Also, check this link:
http://www.unixl.com/dir/molecular_sciences/chemistry/chemistry_jobs/

Title: Re: What is the application of Physical Chemistry?
Post by: Juan R. on July 20, 2010, 05:15:07 AM

Try at the next link

Physical Chemists (http://portal.acs.org/portal/acs/corg/content?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=PP_ARTICLEMAIN&node_id=1188&content_id=CTP_003398&use_sec=true&sec_url_var=region1&__uuid=17b41ecc-4316-421d-9118-302cae60d117)

It includes work description, requirements, job prospects, salaries...

Title: Re: What is the application of Physical Chemistry?
Post by: crt on August 15, 2010, 03:16:39 AM

As most of the chemist you probably also will choose between industry and academia. Physical chemists are welcome if it is about modeling/computation, a practical field might be for example heterogeneous catalysis or some other surface science job. Not related to chemistry you can find a job also in banking sector or at some insurance company (for example risk assessment).

Title: Re: What is the application of Physical Chemistry?
Post by: zeoblade on August 21, 2010, 10:40:20 AM

i felt physical chemistry degrees could do anything in science, extremely versatile.

double degree in physics and chemistry is highly recommended. physics gives you the understanding the fundamentals of the fabric of reality and chemistry gives you the integration of everything