Hi everyone!

How can I apply for a post-doc that is in a different field from my current PhD topic?
I.e. I would like to make a transition. However, I need to learn how to say and justify that I am competent
in the fields I have rarely touched. In addition, I have yet to publish at the moment (my final PhD year).
These make me anxious about my Post-doc application.

Currently, I am doing research in theoretical particle physics. My project is the higher-order
calculation of 3-loop amplitudes. I have developed some computational skills by doing this project, but
I do not feel like continuing in the future. The main reasons are the difficulty in publication and interaction with
other scientists. In detail, the complicated calculation makes it hard to verify whether my computation is correct, so the publication is
delayed. Moreover, the lack of interactions with other physicists made me miss many talks and conferences in the last several years.

Therefore, I would like to do something less theoretical for my post-doc than in my PhD years. I plan to do some projects
in computational physics, as I have frequently been using computers and feeling more confident in doing computational work.
My proposed topics include nuclear physics, condensed matter physics, astrophysics, etc. Those fields, in my opinion, have
more chances to collaborate with others and easier to check for mistakes.

Thanks!