AIP Survey of "Skills used and satisfaction with employment" of recent Physics PhDs

The skills used by new physics PhDs in their first positions can vary greatly depending on their type of employment. The AIP has conducted a follow-up survey of PhD recipients from the classes of 2007 and 2008, and the results of the survey can be found at http://www.aip.org/statistics/trends/reports/physphdsskills.pdf

The top four "Interpersonal and Management Skills" regularly used by new physics PhDs, in order, were:

(1) Work on a Team

(2) Technical Writing

(3) Manage Projects

(4) Public Speaking

Among the top categories of "Scientific and Technical Knowledge" regularly used by new physics PhDs were:

- Basic Research

- Programming

- Technical Problem Solving

- Advanced Math