What does a physics degree have to do with satellites?
“Everything I do traces back to mechanics and thermodynamics classes. I work on propulsion systems — basically, the physics of how you get a satellite to change its orbit efficiently using the least possible fuel. It’s Newton’s laws and conservation of momentum, just applied to a very expensive piece of hardware.”
Did you always plan to work in industry instead of research?
“No — I assumed ‘physics degree’ meant ‘become a professor’ for most of high school and college. I only found out engineering companies hire physics majors directly when a classmate got an internship at an aerospace company senior year. Physics grads are valued in industry because we’re trained to solve problems from first principles, not just memorized procedures.”
What’s the most physics-y part of your actual job?
“Failure analysis. When a component doesn’t perform as predicted, going back to fundamental physics — not just the engineering spec sheet — is usually what finds the real answer.”
Advice for a curious high schooler
“If you like physics but aren’t sure you want to spend a decade in academia, look into engineering physics or applied physics programs specifically. You get the same core physics with a more direct path into industry roles like mine.”