<p>Hello all,
I sincerely apologize if the format of this inquiry does not follow cookie-cutter practices or is in the right forum. I am a first year graduate student in Mechanical Engineering. There isn't a week that goes by since the third semester of my undergraduate studies, that I wondered if I should have switched majors to Physics. I took honors physics to satisfy the engineering curriculum requirements and received at lowest, an A-. I decided to stick to what I started, and finished the 5 year dual degree program I had set off to complete. I keep scanning for jobs and am finding it difficult to be as excited for Mechanical Engineering prospects as I am for those catered more towards Physics/Research. More specifically, astronomy which I will explain later below...</p>
<p>Current Credentials:
B.S. Mechanical Engineering
B.A. German Language and Literature
Cumulative GPA: between 3.0-3.5 (I'm keeping things vague for now until I am more comfortable with anonymity)</p>
<p>During my fourth year of undergrad, I spent a year abroad in Germany, having taken a semester at a TU-9 university (one of the top 9 technical universities in Germany). While there, I assisted graduate students with research relating to dampers at the university's affiliated Institute for Automotive Engineering. I attended and transferred credit for four classes (taken in German). I also completed a 6 month internship at BMW, Munich, in the department also relating to Suspension and Driving Dynamics. (Working environment, also in German)</p>
<p>During my super-senior year, I was involved in an undergraduate research project related to designing a pressure drop experiment in micro-channels. We didn't carry out the actual experiment due to funding and equipment issues. My capstone group placed 3rd in a category for the National FAA Design Competition.</p>
<p>Not sure if honor societies play an important role in these things, but I have been inducted to three, among them one for Mechanical Engineering.</p>
<p>Currently I am a graduate student earning an M.S. Mechanical Engineering (candidate, 2014) with a focus in Experimental Solid Mechanics. I find the research interesting so I want to see it to it's end. My adviser says that his hopes is to get one or two papers submitted by the end of my project.</p>
<p>Some background:</p>
<p>-Ever since second grade, I've been that kid that memorized all the planets and launched Estes model rockets since I wasn't allowed a video game system.
-I took up photography years ago to get into wide field astrophotography, but could never afford an equitorial tracking mount...so I just did standard photography or long (single) exposure night time shots instead
-Twice a week I'm at one of two local observatories, peeking through their telescopes during public hours
- During my undergraduate years, I got high marks in my honors physics class, and I haven't felt that level of enthusiasm for any engineering class for the remainder of my undergraduate academic career
- No matter how many times I see the milky way above, I never get tired of stargazing
- Just for the sake of hobby, I've removed the hot filter in my camera to be more receptive to IR frequencies to about 850nm, just playing around with an 85mm lens, my first night, I was able to get Orion Nebula</p>
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<p>I really want to bridge the disciplines and go for an MS/PhD in Astrophysics with a major emphasis in astronomical instrumentation or observed astronomy/optics. I feel like engineering and physics has to go hand in hand to build the observational tools of tomorrow. </p>
<p>I am currently studying to take the GRE's and Physics GRE by end of this summer. I have talked to my old honors Physics professor, and he said he would guide independent study allowing me to catch up on concepts for modern physics. I plan on taking Quantum Mechanics 1 next fall to satisfy a course credit toward my masters. My main concern is that while I have internship and research experience, it's not related to my goal, nor was it an REU. Also my undergraduate GPA isn't as nice as it could be to get into top schools offering Astrophysics/Optics programs.</p>
<p>Does anyone have insight on how to prepare for jumping fields and try to pursue a graduate degree from Physics from Engineering coming from a ~very small~ state school?</p>