The stereotype is that most of us have our brains in our arms. I hope I don’t, as I’m curently doing my masters at the uni of York in england, doing research into mathematical biology (which might one day help people get bigger fater stronger, but right now only serves to get my funding) I am currently applying for PHDs, and am fairly happy to take anything maths-bioy, provided its at a good uni with good funding.
I guess there are a lot of other guys here who have probably done masters PhDs and post docs in any number of subjects. I’m wondering:
-where?
-what in?
-what do you do now?
and especcially
-what would you advise me about picking mine?
[quote]lnname wrote:
I guess there are a lot of other guys here who have probably done masters PhDs and post docs in any number of subjects. I’m wondering:
[/quote]
THE Ball State University
Biomechanics
I bend digital tibias to see what sorts of loads they experience. I’m a researcher at a university and mostly deal with multibody dynamics and FE modeling.
Funding is important, but be sure that you’d really enjoy doing what you do for your PhD and whatnot. It’s the beginning of a career, pick something where you won’t resent going in to work.
Mathematical biology sounds pretty cool, what sorts of research do you do?
Sweet! Bio mechanics is fairly badass! And it probably gives you the edge in the gym.
Right now my models are being used in the environment, for animals and stuff(the coolest thing is probably one that i made for a beer), but I’m hopping to move across to humans, particularly if I can get something some kind of bio systems approach to hypertrophy/weightlifting.
[quote]lnname wrote:
Sweet! Bio mechanics is fairly badass!
[/quote]
It can be. Right now, though, I’m bending tibias. Can’t wait to be done with this particular project, it’s gone on for way too long.
Still walking because of it. To paraphrase cbear, I know which shit needs to be foam rolled.
A numerical beer model, that’s pretty damn cool. Ale or stout?
If you’re interested in looking at humans at the systems level, have a look over on the simtk.org website if you haven’t already. OpenSim is pretty badass for biomechanical research and there’s some other cool biological stuff going on there as well.
-University of Delaware
-Chemical Engineering
-In vitro protein aggregation and dissociation for pharmaceutical applications
-Go somewhere where you will be happy and productive. Rankings and prestige are meaningless if you’re miserable.
[quote]cord13 wrote:
BSU SUCKS![/quote]
Over in england i haddn’t heard of it, so i thought it was probably made up! I spent almost a minute looking at that post thinking, is this a joke? Is he saying that you don’t need to go to uni if you got the balls to bend your tibias in the gym? I was thinking, thats ridiculously conveluted for an ati- intellectual joke!
haha!
Yeah so somewhere where your happy!
How can you know that until you’ve lived there for a year?
[quote]lnname wrote:
Over in england i haddn’t heard of it, so i thought it was probably made up! I spent almost a minute looking at that post thinking, is this a joke? Is he saying that you don’t need to go to uni if you got the balls to bend your tibias in the gym? I was thinking, thats ridiculously conveluted for an ati- intellectual joke!
[/quote]
Not surprised you haven’t heard of it; it’s most famous for communications and media programs these days. David Letterman was a proud C student there. The Human Performance Lab was pretty famous back in the day when David Costill was at the reins (and they still do some good work).
Ball State anagrammed is Tate Balls.
[quote]
How can you know that until you’ve lived there for a year?[/quote]
In the States most cities have pretty good websites that give reasonably accurate pictures of what life is like. I’m in Boise now, and the fishing/trails/mountains are as advertised. Doesn’t hurt to talk to some folks, especially grad students, who live there too.
Electronics/Photonics, got the MSe, 1/2 way through the Ph.D
Monolithic mode-locked lasers, design and fabrication
Be prepared to spend some money traveling to see the schools and meet the professors you’re thinking about working for. At the very least talk to them on the phone. Your adviser can make your life hell so make sure you get one that’s on the level.
Also if you can get a GSR position right off the bat, go for it. Having to teach sucks (unless it’s particularly up your alley)
-what do you do now?
Second year in the program. I study injury signaling and regeneration of axons-trying to make paraplegics walk again.
and especcially
-what would you advise me about picking mine?[/quote]
Compare your stipend to the cost of living in the area. Some schools pay students almost nothing, but the cities where they are located are extremely expensive. My school’s stipend is pretty high, and the cost of living in St. Louis is ridiculously low.
Try to meet as many students as you can to get a feel for the place. Some schools are really competitive, and nobody will hang out together outside of lab. Other schools are more cooperative, and people are quite social off campus.
Make sure you can see yourself living/working there for an extended period of time. Getting PhD requires several years of difficult work. If you hate the town, you’re going to hate getting the degree.