Specialization for PhD
 

Hi,

I have been admitted to 3 top North American graduate schools for a PhD in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

I have the options of pursuing my thesis on following topics. Though I have interest in propulsions, I am confused as to if it will find applications to industry and if I will have a good career in that field.

• Propulsion, esp Gas Turbine Engines
• Numerical models for predicting particle flow phenomena
• Plasma physics with applications as flow actuators, flow control
• mutli phase flows
• CFD applications to nano tech.

I kindly wanted to know which field has the most potential in the days to come. Though my primary interest is in propulsion but I am equally concerned if that will help me get a good career.



Also what are the options after doing a PhD in fluids in North America/rest of the world. Apart from academics.


I look forward to your thoughts,


Thanks

Since you're going to do a PhD in one of these 3 top North American universities (I take it it's probably MIT, Stanford and Caltech...) why don't you consider pursuing an academic career instead of working in the industry?

If I were you, I would choose the first. To me others are fancy but ...

PhD time is a fun, but long and strenuous process. There will be times when you want to give up. Go with the topic that interests you most, so you can find something to help you through the valleys of doubt :)