Is high energy getting hot?

[sltrukshan]

I heard that high energy field in US is developing well. Is this true or just a hoax?

[Helio]

Theory or experiment? I mean the experimental side is more Europe and US combined, i.e. LHC

[quizivex]

Is this true or just a hoax?

Yes

[grae313]

The highest powered accelerator the world has ever seen is about to open in Geneva. There will be new discoveries.

On the other hand, it is still oversaturated and not as well funded as CME.

[sltrukshan]

The highest powered accelerator the world has ever seen is about to open in Geneva. There will be new discoveries.

On the other hand, it is still oversaturated and not as well funded as CME.

Over saturated?? Experimental side or theoretical?

And

What do you mean by CME? Do you mean condensed matter physics? But it is very broad field. What about funding for nanoscience and superconductor physics fields?

[Helio]

nano and superconductor are CME (condensed matter), those are two broad fields esp. superconductors, please be a bit more specific

[grae313]

Over saturated?? Experimental side or theoretical?

Well, I know for sure that in theory there are way more people wanting to do it than there are spaces available, and funding is relatively poor. Not sure about experiment, but my guess is it would be similar.

What do you mean by CME? Do you mean condensed matter physics? But it is very broad field. What about funding for nanoscience and superconductor physics fields?

I mean condensed matter experiment. It is a huge field with good funding. There is lots of room.

[buddyo]

I'd say high energy in the U.S. is suffering. Most of the U.S. accelerators are turning off and things are moving overseas. The LHC, BESIII, etc. A lot of this is related to the U.S. cutting funding to fundamental sciences, which may get better next year, but might not. Write your local congressperson and let them know what you want!

This isn't to say you shouldn't go into high energy physics.

[garden]

Yeppppppp, it is so hot now! X off Bu! Just hope for the next one!

[twistor]

Hot maybe, but it's a dry heat.

[fermiboy]

Hot maybe, but it's a dry heat.

Haha, that's the informal slogan of the city of Tucson. I heard that like 80 times when I was visiting U. of Arizona.

[sltrukshan]

I heard that two major projects (groups) on SLAC have been turned down this march due to funding problem. Is that true? If it is true the future of high energy physics is very clear - No future

[jdhooghe]

It's so hot for me that sweat is pouring down the crack of my ass like Niagra...Sorry, had to use a Robin Williams quote . But yes, high energy is being asked to bend over during this damnable economic crunch.

[Helio]

everything but CME gets bend over

[will]

^ Not true. Plenty of money in AMO as well. Bio- and medical physics seem to be doing alright for themselves also.

[Helio]

okay let me rephrase everything that might not yield new products gets bend over

[will]

Well, high energy is pretty saturated... But if you're exceedingly bright and find new physics, you won't have any trouble despite the relative lack of funding. If someone's eking into the field because they thought the elegant universe was a really good book, they might have to reevaluate. Anyway, high energy hasn't come grinding to a halt...

[twistor]

Bio- and medical physics seem to be doing alright for themselves also.

Medical physics is funded mostly through NIH grants. NIH has been cutting back in recent years to the point and far fewer grants are getting approved. At many schools it's very difficult for medical physics students to get funding.

[sltrukshan]

All of your answers are contradicting. Some says that high energy is bent over. Some says CME is bent over and some others says that even Bio/medical physics is not funded well in recent years. These are three major fields of physics.

Does it means that Physics is bent over?

[superfun]

The funding in the field overall went down this year, but as a student you can see that as the fact that the field is changing, not necessarily for the worse. Many departments had no change in their funds for next year, and are optimistic about the future. Also, the fact that many US facilities have been changing their program (SLAC) indicates confidence in LHC for certain projects, so they will focus on different projects. As a student, it may even be cheaper for your department to send you overseas to work on experiments. Even without that option, there is still the option for the ILC, which will be considered in the next few years based on the LHC's relative success.

[gcensr]

The long term answer to this question depends on what is observed in addition to the Higgs at the LHC. If there's nothing new and unexplained, that sort of does it for a while experimentally, right?

Right now, though, it's a pretty good time to be in high energy experiment and high energy phenomenology - pretty easy to get a PhD with the LHC up and running soon. The question is what happens after that.

disclaimer: I'm a condensed matter person - this is just what I've been hearing during my visits.