In academia, research is approached with a sense of curiosity and passion for the field. The work is driven by grants and the hierarchy is structured in a way such that a professor or senior researcher leads a team of students and academics to answer questions relevant to the field. On the other hand, industry research is approached as a means to an end. It is a tool that allows the company to produce its products and isn’t the end-goal or passion of the top level management. It is difficult to say one is better than the other because they both are essential to our progress as a society. They rely on each other to conduct their work and both processes would be greatly affected if the other weren’t in existence. I feel that it boils down to what the individual has a passion for. If it is academics and discovery, then academic research is the best option. If the passion is a decent life and literally anything else, then it is industry. Either way, it helps to have an interest in the field.