Can I be a good theorist without a degree in math?

I wondered this when i saw that Robert Penrose its a physicist and a mathematician.
If i dont do a math physics degree I wont be effective?

I don't know what a "math physics degree" is, but most theoretical physicists have degrees in physics.

garra said:

I wondered this when i saw that Robert Penrose its a physicist and a mathematician.
If i dont do a math physics degree I wont be effective?

How hard do you think it would be to Google something like "who are the current leaders in theoretical physics" and then look up whether or not they have a degree in math? I did that and the result is easily obtained and definitive.

If you are going to go into science, you should learn how to do research.

phinds said:

How hard do you think it would be to Google something like "who are the current leaders in theoretical physics" and then look up whether or not they have a degree in math? I

While I agree with your point, here is one of thise cases where Google bobbles it. About a third of "the current leaders in theoretical physics" are dead,

Vanadium 50 said:

I don't know what a "math physics degree" is, but most theoretical physicists have degrees in physics.

I had a friend who was studying physics and math at uni. I was worried that my only physics degree wouldn't be enough

Don't get too distracted by seeking credentials (e.g., this degree, that degree, this certification, that certification). Figure out what you want to do, see what you need to know to do it, and start learning.

garra said:

I had a friend who was studying physics and math at uni. I was worried that my only physics degree wouldn't be enough

Which totally avoids any response to my statement.

Vanadium 50 said:

While I agree with your point, here is one of thise cases where Google bobbles it. About a third of "the current leaders in theoretical physics" are dead,

Yeah, but before they died, they didn't have math degrees

phinds said:

Yeah, but before they died, they didn't have math degrees

Nor after, for that matter.

Vanadium 50 said:

Nor after, for that matter.

Based on a quick Google search, many universities have procedures for awarding posthumous degrees.

Why not? I know of a few faculty awarded tenure after brain death.

garra said:

I had a friend who was studying physics and math at uni. I was worried that my only physics degree wouldn't be enough

Having a formal double major or a major/minor in Physics and Math is less important than the actual math courses you've taken.

garra said:

I wondered this when i saw that Robert Penrose its a physicist and a mathematician.
If i dont do a math physics degree I wont be effective?

I think you mean Roger Penrose,
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Penrose ,
who has degrees in mathematics
and made substantial contributions in various fields involving mathematics, including general relativity.

robphy said:

I think you mean Roger Penrose,
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Penrose ,
who has degrees in mathematics
and made substantial contributions in various fields involving mathematics, including general relativity.

Yes. Im so embarrassed

Haborix said:

Don't get too distracted by seeking credentials (e.g., this degree, that degree, this certification, that certification). Figure out what you want to do, see what you need to know to do it, and start learning.

Here are two theorists with non-traditional degree paths. (There are likely many others.)
Of course, these two are exceptional.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Witten
Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in history and minor in linguistics from Brandeis University in 1971
PhD in physics from Princeton in 1976

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeman_Dyson
https://www.iop.org/physics-community/obituaries/freeman-dyson
https://www.ias.edu/sns/dyson
BA degree in mathematics from Cambridge in 1945
[no PhD]

Paul Dirac:
- electrical engineering degree 1921
- mathematics degree 1923

It seems that it would be easier to list the physicists with a physics degree.

martinbn said:

It seems that it would be easier to list the physicists with a physics degree.

You are right, a single link is enough:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_physicists

Of course, you didn't say only physicists with a physics degree.

Actually, during my PhD I had a collegue who switched after his bachelor in Engineering to a one year master in theoretical physics and wrote a highly technical PhD thesis on a topic related to string theory.

Also, I ended up being an excellent theorist without a math degree

haushofer said:

Also, I ended up being an excellent theorist without a math degree

Define ”excellent”, ”theorist”, and ”math degree”

Well, not to boast, but I'm theoretically excellent at maths, to a degree, myself.

Examples from 50+ years ago are not so relevant for the times of today. The time between today and when Dyson got his PhD is about the same as the time between when Dyson got his PhD and Maxwell.

As for Ed Witten, many people come to PF thinking they are the next Ed Witten. Not so many actually are.

Vanadium 50 said:

The time between today and when Dyson got his PhD

Dyson never got a PhD.

pines-demon said:

Dyson never got a PhD.

But he only missed by *this* much!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeman_Dyson

Orodruin said:

Define ”excellent”, ”theorist”, and ”math degree”

I'll probably end up being disappointed, so let me keep my illusions