Switching from ChemE to Nuclear for a PhD?

[Argon]

I'm choosing between the joint MIT Nuclear Science and Engineering and Computational Science and Engineering PhD program and a few other top ChemE PhD programs (namely UC Berkeley and Princeton). I wanted to hear your input on my thought process.

 

My undergrad is in ChemE, and while I love certain aspects of ChemE, I dislike quite a bit of it as well (e.g. process engineering, separations, biological applications). My real love is in the "physics" side of ChemE: transport phenomena (i.e. fluid mechanics/heat transfer), thermodynamics, and kinetics. Now, as for my research interests, I am mainly interested in computational projects. I'm much better at and enjoy theory and math more than I do wet chemistry or experimental lab work. 

 

With that out of the way, I am leaning toward the MIT program and want to make sure my logic makes sense. Although I have not had nuclear engineering classwork, I have done a summer of nuclear research and thoroughly enjoyed it. Further, my interests in transport/thermodynamics are all prevalent in nuclear engineering as well, and there are quite a lot of faculty at the MIT program that I'd be interested in working with. I'd even argue that there are more professors I'm interested in at the MIT nuclear program than at the other institutions. The potential negative is that it's in a different field from my undergrad with a bit more classwork than the other programs I'm looking at, and the job prospects probably aren't as easy as with ChemE since it's more specialized. This is my biggest concern. Also, I'm slightly less interested in the nuclear classwork, but I don't think that should be a huge factor. I will also most likely have to do a fair bit of self-studying before I enter the program, but once again this isn't a huge concern.

 

Would I be making a wrong move to go into nuclear engineering for a PhD? Is this a case where there's really not a wrong move to make? I'm thinking that maybe I'll work on a nuclear project that is closely tied with chemistry/materials so that I don't have to leave behind a field that's still -- at least in part -- close to my heart. I'm not sure how much job prospects are linked to what you do your thesis on or what you get your PhD in or things like that. I'm not sure what exactly I want to do after I get my PhD. I just know that I want it to be research-oriented, although the thought of becoming a professor and entering academia for a career is admittedly a bit daunting for me.

 

I guess I'm more or less looking to see if anyone has any input or things to consider that I might be overlooking. Thank you for hearing me rant! 

Edited February 25, 2015 by Argon

[doomination]

If you leave chemE it will make my potential life as an academic in chemE easier, so go to nukeE!

 

In all seriousness, I think you should go to the MIT nuclear program. If it was practical for me, I would have applied to math PhDs rather than chemE, for similar reasons.

 

You have the opportunity to switch fields NOW - which you will likely not get again.

[Argon]

Hey Doomination (seen you plenty of times in the ChemE thread)! 

 

Your comment is too funny -- love it! Hey, always glad to help a fellow ChemE out, right? But actually, thanks for your input I know I'm the one that needs to make the call here, but it's good to get my thoughts out and to make sure they're not insane. If I'm to switch fields, now's the time I suppose! Will keep giving this some thought and see how the visiting weekend goes too.