What Am I? I Choose Neither
Lately I’ve been giving a lot of thought to a question that I’m nearly constantly asked: “So…[long pause]…are you a physicist…[long pause]…or are you a computer scientist?” Like many theorists in quantum computing, a field perched between the two proud disciplines of physics and computer science (and spilling its largess across an even broader swath of fields), I struggle with answering this question. Only today, after a long and torturous half year (where by torture, I mean interviewing for jobs, not the eerily contemporaneous fall of the world’s finances) in which I have been daily contemplating what to do with my life, did it finally dawn on me that I actually know the answer to this question: I’m neither, damnit! Not both. Not one or the other. No, I’m neither a physicist nor a computer scientist.
Warning! Extended, and I mean extended, wildly meandering story below. Probably only of interest to my mom. Proceed with caution, or, to get to the point, skip to the end!
Continue reading “What Am I? I Choose Neither”
Another Physicist To Washington
A press release from Caltech about Steve Koonin, who was the boss of my bosses during a SURF project and was a student of my undergraduate advisor at Caltech (and also responsible for severe drops in GPAs for many of the physicist students I knew at Caltech :)):
Steven Koonin, visiting associate in physics and former provost of Caltech, has been nominated by President Obama to serve as Undersecretary for Science in the U.S. Department of Energy. The position requires Senate confirmation. Koonin is currently chief scientist for BP, where he is responsible for guiding the company’s long-range technology strategy, particularly in alternative and renewable energy sources. He has served on numerous advisory bodies for the National Science Foundation, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Energy and its various national laboratories. Koonin’s research interests have included theoretical and computational physics, as well as global environmental science. He earned his BS at Caltech in 1972 and his PhD from MIT in 1975.
Note the dates between BS and PhD!
Musings From the Edge
Sundries.
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Spicy Pi Bacon Squared Wins!
Woot! Mrs. Pontiff’s entry into the Scienceblogs pie competition is the winner! Mrs. Pontiff is on a role. This year we decided not to buy each other gifts for Valentines day. So instead of buying a gift, Mrs. Pontiff entered a photo contest from a flower company and won me some beautiful flowers. We need to plan our trip to Las Vegas immediately.
Thanks to all who voted and to the dog for not jumping up and eating the pie off the table. And a special shout out to Bacon, is there anything it can’t do?
Lisa: I’m going to become a vegetarian
Homer: Does that mean you’re not going to eat any pork?
Lisa: Yes
Homer: Bacon?
Lisa: Yes, Dad.
Homer: Ham?
LIsa: Dad all those meats come from the same animal!
Homer: Right Lisa, some wonderful, magical animal!
Discovery Channel Production Company Trademarks "Qubit"
Kamil sends along a pointer to www.playqubit.com. “Qubit,” according to the website is a new quiz show on the Discovery channel:
Qubit is a quiz show for the 21st century – fast-paced, cut-throat and fun!
Driven by stunning HD visuals, Qubit showcases science, technology and natural history. Not your ordinary quiz show, Qubit challenges convention by including the odd, unique and truly quirky aspects of the world of science.
Sounds like a fun show.
But “Qubit”? Really? I wonder if the PR firm that sold them on that name knew what the word meant and whether Ben Schumacher is offended or ecstatic? And I’m kicking myself for not, thinking of trademarking qubit myself (At the end of the about page: “Qubit is a trademark of Exploration Production Inc.”) Does this mean every talk I give I’m going to have to stick the little TM mark after qubit?
APS March Meeting Ramblings
Things I learned at the APS March meeting. Updated as I learn them. That’s right: real time updates of connectivity of my neurons translated into html translated into text and pictures on your browser.
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Off to the March Meeting I Go
Tonight I hop on a red-eye to Pittsburgh to attend the APS March meeting. 7000 physicists in Pittsburgh, now that’s a scary thought for poor Pittsburgh (punishment for winning the superbowl, I guess.)
A list of highlighted papers includes some fun ones:
11:15AM, Tuesday Session B15: “Walking on water: why your feet get wet” Michael Shelley , Jake Fontana , Peter Palffy-Muhoray
1:15PM, Wednesday Session Q15: “Statistical laws for career longevity” Alexander Petersen , Woo-Sung Jung , Jae-Suk Yang , H. Eugene Stanley
CRA Taulbee Survey
The New York Times has an article about the CRA Taulbee Survey, which is a survey of computer science enrollments in the United States. (The survey isn’t up on the CRA’s website, but when it does I’m guessing it will be here.)
For the first time in six years, enrollment in computer science programs in the United States increased last year, according to an annual report that tracks trends in the academic discipline.
I call bottom! Oops, a bit late.
He noted that seven or eight years ago, few students would think about the possibility of a computer science graduate education, and that it was all about wealth.
“The ability to make a billion dollars by the time you are 30 years old is a huge motivation,” he said.
With the added benefit that it’s hard to have clawbacks for a startup?
Quantum Bacon Pontiff
Every wonder what “The Quantum Pontiff” looks like with a side of Bacon? Me neither. But now you can thanks to bacolicio.us: The Quantum Pontiff with a side of Bacon.
Simultaneous (at least in my reference frame) hat tip to Matt and Jacob.