What are the benefits of studying actuarial science?

How hard would it be to do an atmospheric science PhD first and then switch over to a postdoc position in computational biology? (especially computational biology of aging)

• This is what Bradley Voytek actually advised me to do. The fact that you've already moved fields will likely be a "red flag" for your reapplications to other departments. I've been on the other side of the grad admissions, and I know how the faculty think. And what they're thinking is this: "we're spending a lot of money to pay these students' salaries, benefits, and tuition, and we want to be sure that our investment will translate into a degree." That's it. So my question for you is: why don't you just finish your degree? 4-6 years isn't SUPER long, and if you don't love the field you can easily move into a different field during your post-doc. The number of physics, math, and CS PhDs who become neuroscience post-docs is crazy. Also, see (though CS/applied math is likely not an option for me) At the moment, switching to biology would be very difficult due to certain red flags that I've accumulated. People in the UW Atmospheric Science dept are incredibly nice to me, and are really the only academics left in the entire world who still have any trust left in me (especially since most biologists decide to stop talking to me once I give them my story). So I need to show that I can get my shit together with them, and then possibly consider switching fields later (if I ultimately do switch fields). That said, many in UW Atmos could be slightly leery about funding me as a grad student because they know that I "switched over" not due to passion, but more because of fallouts I had with other departments due to my Asperger's Syndrome+ADD (which I'm trying to get resolved over time, but only through hard experience and possibly SSRIs). Ideally I'd like to discuss the possibility of an accelerated PhD with them (with me doing unpaid research for 2 years first [and hopefully getting publications out of that] and using that as a basis for a PhD in fewer years when the norm is usually 6 years) but I'm not sure how much of a possibility that is. At the same time.. I'm just not sure if I can be continually passionate about climate science (though it's possible i could develop a passion in it by getting into it more), and I'm also just not sure about what options still remain after the bridges I've burned. Biology (especially aging biology) has huge growth potential, though it remains to be seen how muchit will grow in 5 years. One thing for sure though: any research in atmospheric science I do will be highly computational. Ultimately I aim to do research on large-scale data analysis. I've invested a heavy amount of time into self-studying biology and keeping up with the latest research in the biology of aging (there are some professors who can attest to that). I'll also add that the biology of aging is a topic that I've been intensely passionate about ever since I was a young teenager (I've also seriously started to practice calorie restriction), but the field (especially its computational subcomponent) simply hasn't matured enough for me to really enter it for most of my life. With Google Calico now launched, the computational aspect of aging could take off. Right now the time is not ripe, but it could change in 5 years. I could also be interested in topics other than the computational biology of aging - particularly computational neuroscience. Anyways.. the longer this situation lasts, the more and more obsessive I will get over the biology of aging (and ultimately how to slow it down).

• Answer:

  People change subject areas all the time between PhD and postdoc. It is actually a bit rare to continue to do the same exact thing you started out doing in your PhD. Also, no matter how much self-studying you've been doing, I would not advise you to use that to apply to a PhD program in another area so quickly and based on self-study. PhD committees are looking for a little commitment and endurance to your field, not flakiness. Its much more preferable to express a change of interest towards the end of the PhD, when you start thinking about the next step.