I'm going to try my hand at some impassioned pleas. Now, I would never have recommended myself for either politics or sales, but it is my understanding that some people would really like me to do this, so I guess I'm going to give it a try.
Did you know that every time you apply to a school, you're required to write a statement of purpose? I applied to roughly 7 undergrad colleges, and roughly 5 on my first round of grad schools. Another roughly 5 on my second round, and another roughly 5 on my third. So that is roughly 22 statements of purpose. And there was another one for a fellowship I both didn't want and didn't get, and another for a gravitational waves summer school (which was awesome), and another for a modern physics summer camp in high school, and another for the Sony Student Project Abroad in high school, and another for each REU or UROP I've applied for (another 6 or so), and for another few specific jobs I applied to (let's call that another 4ish to 6ish). so that's about 35-40 statements of purpose in all. I'm a bit exhausted on this topic, and quite bored by it. Pardon me if I don't exactly sell it.
When I was five I read a book about the planets and wanted to be an astronaut. As it turns out, physics research is the next best thing.
Physics is precise, logical, has answers that are correct or incorrect by some demonstratable metric such as whether or not the results can be applied to the real world in future experiments or technology, makes inroads on explaining the world we see around us without the obviously cruel conclusions that religion sometimes comes to.
From physics, principals, equations, and insights are derived that can be used to build new technologies.
Physics examines itself. Statistical principals are used to analyze data whether directly, or indirectly through Machine Learning. If the results don't match the theories that are being considered in the hypothesis test, the theories must be modified or different theories must be considered. Creativity, analytical thinking, and a willingness to be wrong and admit it and shift your focus and move on are required to work in the field.
Some of the greatest technological insights in even remotely recent history have come from physics. The steam engine, electricity, quantum physics (which has led to quantum computing and also nuclear reactors and nuclear medicine), a better understanding of gravity and also the atmosphere which together have helped improve spaceflight and airplanes, telescope developments have had implications for other forms of sensing from space such as most obviously ariel views of storms or google earth, some measurement techniques in geology have synergized with developments in physics, and some techniques in extreme refrigeration have originated out of physics labs. Physics labs have worked on the manufacture and innovation of better semiconductors and superconductors, as well as better green technology, especially batteries and solar cells.
Computational physics specifically also innovates algorithms relevant to supercomputing or numerical computing, that enhance precision or speed, or allow new kinds of calculations to be done. I am not familiar enough with industry to know the specific applications, but this is a field of research, and it does get published, and I imagine that it does have uses.
Mathematical or statistical techniques from physics also sometimes have broader applicability, though perhaps the physics department doesn't have sole ownership of these.
Many people enjoy the results of physics in the popular press, popular audience TV shows, museums, or even in a less technical journal like Nature. The results are also sometimes available to read on preprint servers or open access publishing. Many people enjoy learning about black holes, gravitational waves, the Big Bang, supernovae, galaxies, neutron stars, particle physics, neutrinos, exoplanets, the search for life (which I know less about), and rockets.
The results of physics research are important for physics teaching. Physics teaching is itself important. Since physics has an impact on engineering and other fields like biology, medicine, chemistry, and, surprisingly, even kinesiology, it's important that these students take physics. It's important that they learn current and relevant physics from a teacher well-versed in the subject, and it is necessary to make new teachers, at some rate.
I doubt that every single physics student needs to be a physics teacher. I doubt that every single physics student needs to be a physics researcher. I hope there are jobs in industry that make good use of the degree in some form, rather than being a waste of the investment, though the opportunity to do research and learn physics for a few years is still a wonderful opportunity,
You may need it for your career. Maybe it's your major. Physics does not provide the recipe for building bridges, circuits, or satellites, but it does provide conceptual principals that clarify thinking on this subject, and even the fundamental calculations could be relevant, in unusual situations.
You may only kind of need it for your career, and are groaning and moaning about why this is a requirement anyway. I know I know, I took intro to solid state chemistry, intro to biology, intro to psychology, and some humanities courses where I definitely felt like a fish out of water as well. So, um, why did I take chemistry, bio, and psych if they weren't my major? Well, one, it was required. But two, I think they actually have been kind of useful in understanding the people with similar mathematical and research backgrounds to mine, and similar scientific focus. We have approximately similar credentials, might hypothetically socialize in the same place or even work in the same place in different or better circumstances. So maybe this is partly about the people and the services you interact with in life, and not just about the science. In an ideal world, it should build mutual respect and trust in each others credentials, a tendency toward the building of consensus across fields, and respectful communication toward one another.
Learning is the most amazing gift in life.
Learning brings success.
I genuinely care passionately about helping students achieve their dreams. I remember how incredibly much it meant (and means) to me to be a physicist, how intensely I had specific goals and dreams in mind even within the field, and how carefully I planned and the effort I put in to get there. I was not a perfectly A+ student. I had some A-'s and even a few B+'s. It wasn't common for me to go to office hours or seek help, but I did a few times. It is my honest and genuine opinion that if a student cares enough to seek help and is making an effort to do so, they are being incredibly responsible toward their education and deserve every success they can eek out of it, and I will do my best to help.
Well I don't want to die. I'm only 42.
I would definitely prefer to die with respect, surrounded by friends, my family, and my partner, and with a legacy to leave behind, and with my actual life and who I actually am remembered. My actual accomplishments celebrated. The medical system and political system has been doing their absolute utmost to piss all over all of this, and I feel very demeaned and defiled, and my desire to die to "serve my country" when I believe it would make no difference at all whatsoever and would also be a miserable pointless death, is basically negative infinity.
Disabled people don't deserve to die because they're disabled.
It makes absolutely zero logical sense to say that, if you qualify for Medicaid because you're disabled, you must work more hours than you're physically capable of working, or else lose Medicaid, and therefore die, because you're disabled. That's just another way of saying disabled people deserve to die.
Mom and Dad or Sister: Please give my money to my niece and nephew and my computers to my best friend and partner when I die. Please ask my best friend and partner to get my photos and any essential documents to my parents and preserve my code. They may keep what photos they want. Please give my textbooks and clothing to someone who needs them. Please divide my knicknacks, artwork, and mementos among whatever family wants them, then do what you like with the rest. I would like to be buried or cremated as Steven he/him. You may keep the chocolates and coffee syrups.