Never Give Up: From the idea of making science to studying physics and physics for applications

Never Give Up are the words I found in the synchrotron, and were repeated by my advisor. This presentation goes back to the idea of making science to a career of studying physics and doing physics for applications. Going from the idea of making science to having a career making science, in general and physics in particular does not happen alone. There is the need of a support system. This support system does not have to come from people that necessarily do science in general, or physics, in particular. One needs to have the self confidence to either ignore or fight back those who doubt one's ability. My field is the field of liquid crystals, which can explain life, can b used for energy saving applications and have been used in other applications such as our telephones, our computers. Making physics and doing physics for applications involves the evolution of what is done and what can physics do in one's field. This evolution may or may not involve changing the field of physics you are working in you PhD career. It will involve the study of how the fields you are working can evolve into something new.