There are a broad range of motivations. In my case:
- I wanted to work on nuclear fusion energy, for the future of humanity.
- I was told that if I had a PhD in physics, I could do just about anything - it's a way of keeping options open.
- I liked tinkering in the lab & learning new mind-expanding concepts in textbooks.
- I viewed it as a test of my intelligence. (Turns out, it's more about perseverance.)
I know at least one string theorist, and they seem to be motivated primarily by liking to mess around with abstruse mathematics. Some others seem to enjoy the 'nerd cred.' I think the ones whose sole motivation is 'getting to the bottom of the universe' probably burn out early, b/c there's so little of that to be had right now. (I've heard from several people who got their PhDs in particle physics who went on to do data science/programming, saying that the field is depressing and that's why they didn't pursue it further.) As for me, I found the 'shut-up-and-calculate' attitude a major turn-off to studying quantum physics. (Plasma physics uses little or no QM, so that worked out for me.)
I never thought about all these other motivations. Thanks for responding with them! And it sounds like there may be at some physicists like I was describing that get burnt out or discouraged too.
- I wanted to work on nuclear fusion energy, for the future of humanity.
- I was told that if I had a PhD in physics, I could do just about anything - it's a way of keeping options open.
- I liked tinkering in the lab & learning new mind-expanding concepts in textbooks.
- I viewed it as a test of my intelligence. (Turns out, it's more about perseverance.)
I know at least one string theorist, and they seem to be motivated primarily by liking to mess around with abstruse mathematics. Some others seem to enjoy the 'nerd cred.' I think the ones whose sole motivation is 'getting to the bottom of the universe' probably burn out early, b/c there's so little of that to be had right now. (I've heard from several people who got their PhDs in particle physics who went on to do data science/programming, saying that the field is depressing and that's why they didn't pursue it further.) As for me, I found the 'shut-up-and-calculate' attitude a major turn-off to studying quantum physics. (Plasma physics uses little or no QM, so that worked out for me.)