The Department welcomes
Jacob Brown as the new Lab Manager and successor to the now retired Art
Fovargue. While Jacob has been around
the full student body for only a month, he is already greatly impressed by the
energy, friendliness, and professionalism of the physics majors. “A lot of the students have been open… and
I’ve gotten to know a few by name and also what research they’re doing,” says
Jacob, who feels like the community has taken him in since day one.
Jacob enjoys how much
more energy there is in the academic community than the private industry, much
of which comes from the dynamic pace of week to week lab schedules. While he’s cautious to make sure the labs
works properly, Jacob is very much eager to perform hands-on experiments across
a wide array of physical topics. He also
takes full advantage of the “educational opportunities” provided by the
department, be it seminars or just talking with students and faculty about
their fields of research.
Although
Jacob had a peak interest in Environmental Physics after undergrad, his advice
for students going into the private sector is anything but narrow. “One thing good for me was to try some
different career categories,” says Jacob, who advises that having a “broadened
experience” will lead to a much more fulfilling career than otherwise. “Look at a lot of options… Take what
interests you more than what pays more.
You’ll contribute a lot of your life to this work.” Jacob also suggests that during interviews,
prospective employees should “make the interview a comfortable atmosphere… not
just a drill… Be sure to convey to the
employer your energy and genuine interest in the company.” Lastly, Jacob strongly suggests applicants always
“overdress for an interview…. I was
always surprised at how much this affected [employers’] perceptions of
candidates.”
You
can find Jacob in the Stockroom (PHYS 2354) office, where the door is always
open for science and good company.
