Astrophysics PhD with Chemical Engineering B.S.?

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Posting this in both the School and the Work forums...

Right now, I've been unemployed to the point that I pretty much have no choice but to go back to grad school for my PhD. I could go for just my Masters, but I figure that if I go back for that, I might as well go the whole step to PhD. Now, I already have my Bachelors of Science degree in Chemical Engineering. Even with this degree, I've only been offered two jobs in the past two years, and I had to turn down both for various reasons (both were low-paying, shaky positions). Most likely, I'm going to pursue an advanced Chemical Engineering degree, specializing in Polymers/Alternative Fuels. However, I'm thinking of pursuing my true passion: Astrophysics.

So, question: Anybody have any idea what I could do with this degree combination? I'd like, if anything, to go into NASA.

I just thought I'd ask the question here before I e-mail the University of Washington Astronomy department in the next few days.

you can teach while you pursue your PhD. or if you are not adverse to being an officer you can join the Air Force as a research scientist (non-deployment type work) and they will pay for your grad work.

I would not go get your PHd. A PHD is useless without experience, unless you want to be a prof. If I were you, I would get a job in the oilfield in petroleum engineering.

Sorry man, but I strongly feel that you're letting your poor experiences with college cloud your opinion of this. I would agree with you if I were a straight up Astrophysics major, since I wasn't one in the first place because of the poor pay, but my B.S. in Chemical Engineering would give me a great advantage with several companies, along with specialized work that only people like me would be able to do. And being a professor isn't the only thing, PhD guys are the ones that are heads of R&D projects, and the ones that get all of the patents easily (in science and engineering, at least). They also tend to shoot up the ladders of management most easily.

I actually have applied for Petroleum Engineering jobs, but I'm skirting around it since I'm not fond of working for oil companies (I'd prefer to, and have tried to, work for Environmental Engineering consulting firms). Additionally, most oil companies only want female engineers right now, about the only way to get in is to have family members already in with them, or have a long history of internships with the company.

No need for the military in the least, not only does NASA offer up a lot of fellowships for PhD Astrophysics students, most grad students automatically get RA positions, where they get free tuition and health insurance, and get paid $20,000-30,000 a year.

You misunderstood me. I mean if you already have a BS in engineering, you should be able to get a job. If you can't get a good job with that you aren't trying or looking very hard. A PHd isn't going to make a huge difference, unless you want to do research. Trust me I know engineers and they have told me this is true.

I don't know where you got the idea that oil companies only want women. 99% of the people who work in oil are men (in the field at least). No woman engineer is going to want to work on an oil rig with a bunch of redneck pigs.

Ah, understandable. But unfortunately, you have no idea how untrue that statement is for me. One big problem is that I made the mistake of not having any internships, I didn't realize I need to have them (thanks to Wyoming) until the summer before my summer year, and I never managed to get an internship, then. And I've been trying, ridiculously hard, so don't ever say that to me. Sorry to come across as rude with that statement, but I've had a hell of a f*cking time dealing with the rejections I've been getting, especially with the jobs that seemed in the bag, or the ones I was rejected for and given to people that cheated to pass courses I aced. I've applied to hundreds of jobs (possibly thousands now), and many times over with some reposted jobs/companies. I may just be a diagnosed high functioning autistic, but what tends to happen when I actually get to the interview, the stress involved brings back the severe traits from my childhood that I've worked for years to cover up. I may be able to recognize my problems when after I've interviewed and be able to cover them up better, but by the next time I get another interview, the stress is so much greater than before, it doesn't matter. I've talked with my favorite professor at OSU, and he too thinks that it's the best idea for me to go back to get my Masters or PhD. I was merely asking here for anybody that might have experience with what a person with a BS in Chemical Engineering and a PhD in Astrophysics might do as a specialty.

Though hopefully, hopefully, I finally hear back from some of the companies to which I've applied, especially the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, since they sent me that notice that I was considered a top candidate.

And you just answered yourself right there. They're getting a lot of backfire from affirmative action regulations, so they're making a hell of an effort as of the past 4-5 years to get female engineers working for them.

in science and math you can guarantee that you are not worth much without a PhD. other fields like history, english, etc. the Doctorate is not as important.

yes, but NASA favors the military. all astronauts are AF. and many of the research positions are AF as well.

Not true for engineering.

I can't confirm this - I know two former colleagues which found after their PhD in engineering directly a very well paid position in leading engineering companies. But the most I know found also their job with a "Dipl.-Ing." (or "Dipl.-Inf.") but they started lower on the leader.

The thing is, they probably had field experience already before they went for their PHd. No company worth working for is going to take someone with no experience and let them lead their company or be in a management position. Even if you have a Phd, if you have no experience you have to start at an entry level position. That way when you become a manager, you will know what you are telling guys to do because you will have worked that position yourself.

They all work in research departments, which is for a person with a PhD the "natural environment" (and in IHMO the ore interesting jobs).

^^ agreed

yes and no. I know engineers. the Masters/Doctorate matters.