[Math] Switching Research Fields

advicecareersoft-question

I am a recent PhD specializing in algebraic geometry. But I also want to do research in some other areas of math (e.g. quantum computation, compressed sensing, and PDE's). What would be a good way of learning these so that they can become a research interest?

I have very little background in physics. My plan/goal is to begin research in one of these areas by next February. I do not want to be limited in the areas in which I do my research (e.g. only doing research in algebraic geometry).

Best Answer

It may not be relevant to your situation, but a bit of advice I was once given, which I think is a good one, is that moving fields is an excellent idea but it is even better to make the path continuous. Given the interconnectedness of mathematics, this advice is easier to follow than it at first seems.