Your Field of Study/Profession

[Debater Slayer]

Time for an everyday thread instead of the political and religious debates... for once.

I have a bachelor's in computer science. Currently, I'm studying to specialize in AI analysis and data science. I might also pursue a master's in AI/machine learning or mathematics somewhere down the line, depending on circumstances. (I've had an undying love for mathematics since childhood, hence my opting for the more mathematical and theoretical aspect of artificial intelligence.)

The above should hopefully qualify me to become either an AI researcher or a machine-learning engineer, with focus mostly on developing and improving AI models and algorithms.

What about you? What are/were your field of study and subsequent profession?

 

[Secret Chief]

I did a B.Sc. in Psychology with Statistics and Liberal Studies in Science. From there I went straight into shelf stacking.

(also studied Politics but I'll leave that one!)

 

[Polymath257]

I have been a research mathematician for the last 35 years. I have also done the PhD qualifying exams in physics.

My original specialty was abstract harmonic analysis. After that, I did some work related to measure theory. Lately, I have been more interested in algebraic number theory.

 

[Brickjectivity]

High School Degree in just doing whatever people tell me to do, fill out forms, be a jack of all trades. Its not very lucrative. Also I have, yes really, an actual 2 year A.S.S. degree in Computer Science. Its literally an A.S.S. degree. I have earned the right to be called that. I worked hard for it, too, paid my own way with no loan.

 

[Rival]

I'm on RF Staff.

Pretty sure that's a field of study all by itself.

 

[Debater Slayer]

I'm on RF Staff.

Pretty sure that's a field of study all by itself.

It's a rarely explored area of the behavioral sciences. Even the most valiant psychologists dare not touch it with a thousand-foot pole.

 

[exchemist]

I read chemistry at university and took the quantum chemistry optional supplementary subject. My Part 2 year (it was a 4 year course) was doing research in gas kinetics. After leaving university I trained as a patent agent (at the time, a third of all patents were chemical patents), but got fed up because the patent law was changing, which meant I had to learn the content of two different patent acts. So I threw in the sponge and joined an oil major, in the lubricants division, in which understanding both chemistry and engineering is an advantage. I stayed with them for 33 years, with a variety of technical and commercial assignments, including overseas postings to Dubai, Houston and The Hague (from which you may be able to deduce which oil major it was).

I took early retirement because I was getting a bit stale and irritated by the management changes and because my wife had cancer and we had a son to bring up.

 

[icehorse]

software developer (including retro-AI), for a long time and for the last 15 years, cognitive science and learning theory as they apply to teaching and learning.

Now I'm getting into "ecological dynamics" (eco-d), which is an umbrella term for: movement science, cutting edge physical therapy, pain science, physical performance, functional movement, physical skill acquisition, and "constraints-led-approach" sports coaching.

 

[Quetzal]

What about you? What are/were your field of study and subsequent profession?

I have two bachelors degrees: one in history and another in theology. In 2020, I completed my Masters in Information Technology with a specialization in Software Development. I currently work as a Quality Engineer with a security platform in the US. I specialize in software/hardware integrations and front-end ui testing.

 

[Quetzal]

I have been a research mathematician for the last 35 years.

That sounds awesome.

 

[Rival]

movement science, cutting edge physical therapy, pain science, physical performance, functional movement, physical skill acquisition, and "constraints-led-approach" sports coaching.

That sounds really interesting. Pain science interests me, especially as I've heard a lot of doctors aren't well trained in it and apparently those with the best pain training are vets.

 

[Quetzal]

I'm on RF Staff.

Pretty sure that's a field of study all by itself.

Pretty sure that requires a PhD in patience.

 

[Debater Slayer]

I have two bachelors degrees: one in history and another in theology. In 2020, I completed my Masters in Information Technology with a specialization in Software Development. I currently work as a Quality Engineer with a security platform in the US. I specialize in software/hardware integrations and front-end ui testing.

I had no idea you could apply for a master's in IT in the U.S. without first having a bachelor's in a related field. Very cool, and congratulations on the successful change of field!

 

[Onoma]

9th grade dropout, art school dropout, spent most of my life cooking for a living / managing small restaurants, if I wasn't doing that I was building things with my hands or apprenticing under someone to learn a new trade

Have worked in sales, worked as a cobbler, built homes, rebuilt homes / restored them, worked on farms / with animals, in orchards / vineyards, done graphic art / design, glass coldworking ( Grinding and polishing glass art pieces ), done menial lab work ( Chromatography, extractions, isolation ), built and sold a variety of random products online

I retired from the restaurant business 10 years ago after a battle with cancer, went into business for myself, from home ( Candy business, catering, pre-prepared meals ), do some occasional consulting for a friend of mine who is a biochemist

The past 10 years most of my interest has been in ancient languages / mathematics in the antiquities, linguistics, philology, comparative religion, and science history, with random excursions into whatever happens to strike my fancy

 

[Quetzal]

I had no idea you could apply for a master's in IT in the U.S. without first having a bachelor's in a related field. Very cool, and congratulations on the successful change of field!

To be fair, it is not as intense as a Masters in Computer Science, which as you know, focuses on more in-depth topics (assembly, compiler theory, architecture, performance optimization, etc). IT is more diverse but doesn't go as deep if that makes sense (Database fundamentals, software engineering design patterns, logic, etc). This particular program was specially designed for career switchers, which is exactly what I needed.

I loved it because I became familiar with a large variety of topics and once I graduated, I began my own personal study with web development. That is where I would like to go next!

 

[Debater Slayer]

9th grade dropout, art school dropout, spent most of my life cooking for a living / managing small restaurants, if I wasn't doing that I was building things with my hands or apprenticing under someone to learn a new trade

Have worked in sales, worked as a cobbler, built homes, rebuilt homes / restored them, worked on farms / with animals, in orchards / vineyards, done graphic art / design, glass coldworking ( Grinding and polishing glass art pieces ), done menial lab work ( Chromatography, extractions, isolation ), built and sold a variety of random products online

I retired from the restaurant business 10 years ago after a battle with cancer, went into business for myself, from home ( Candy business, catering, pre-prepared meals ), do some occasional consulting for a friend of mine who is a biochemist

The past 10 years most of my interest has been in ancient languages / mathematics in the antiquities, linguistics, philology, comparative religion, and science history, with random excursions into whatever happens to strike my fancy

Wow. It sounds like you have gained an extraordinary amount of wisdom and life experience along the way. I'd love to hear some stories if you're willing to share sometime!

 

[Vinayaka]

I'm on RF Staff.

Pretty sure that's a field of study all by itself.

One step down from babysitter.

 

[Onoma]

Wow. It sounds like you have gained an extraordinary amount of wisdom and life experience along the way. I'd love to hear some stories if you're willing to share sometime!

You're too kind, personally, I chalk it up to a short attention span

 

[ChristineM]

I was in graphics and animation from 1995 to 2015 then retired. To get there and stay there i studied right through from

B Unit, Mathematics in computing and B Unit Psychology in 1990 to get me into uni. After earning a BA Art and Animation and meeting future hubby we started a business and carried on study to earn a BSc in Computer animation.

Slowing down on study to build the business it was a few years to my BA in 3d Animation, followed by MSc in Art and Animation then an MSc Animation in Industrial Graphics.

 

[Left Coast]

I have two bachelors degrees: one in history and another in theology. In 2020, I completed my Masters in Information Technology with a specialization in Software Development. I currently work as a Quality Engineer with a security platform in the US. I specialize in software/hardware integrations and front-end ui testing.

I'm fascinated to know more about your bachelor's in theology. Did you attend a denominational school?

 

[Quetzal]

I'm fascinated to know more about your bachelor's in theology. Did you attend a denominational school?

Yep! The university I went to had funding from the Methodist denomination. I had a minor in religion and by the end, I was ~2 classes away from a major. So I took an extra semester and got the double major. At one time, I want considering seminary and the Methodist organization had a deal with the university graduates if they had a religion major from my uni. I ended up changing paths but it was a viable option.