One thing that stood out to me from this week’s discussion was the difference between working in academia and working in industry. Academia seems to focus more on research, discovering new information, and being on the “threshold of human knowledge,” while industry is more deadline-oriented and focused on getting things done.
I think industry could be especially interesting for someone in biomedical engineering because medical device development involves taking an idea and actually turning it into something that can be used. At the same time, I can see why someone would prefer academia if they enjoy research and having more freedom to explore questions. I think it would be interesting to experience both environments before deciding which one fits my personality and career goals better. What do you think would be the biggest factor in deciding between academia and industry?