Like many others have stated in this forum, I would be more inclined to go into industry than academia. I find it very interesting to use the knowledge received from colleges and universities and apply it to the industrial feel. The most appealing part of this would be the direct change of pace from what I have been used to for my whole life. Things would be moving faster and while that might not be the best thing during certain times, it will still force me to think in ways I have not before. Working closely with a team to achieve a certain task within a given deadline creates a different atmosphere and some people really enjoy that. I have been working in industry for a few months now and I can confirm that the fast-paced setting that the workplace provides is something that I have been enjoying and look forward to being a part of every day. There are other replies here that mention that they enjoy the environment of working in industry and are fulfilled with what they have encountered so far. I can entirely relate to their words and will continue to work in industry for the foreseeable future.
I am currently in the industrial side and I feel that personally I enjoy this side of the research more. I have been in the industry since I graduated with my bachelors degree. This being said, I do believe that the topics discussed early and in the lecture this week regarding a need for passion and spark of curiosity are a key deciding factor within the two options.
As Professor Simon mentioned, someone on the academia side can have multiple projects and some may never get finished because it is not required, they are able to focus and research on the topics they are the most interested in. This is a positive but also depends on the individual involved, I enjoy getting a specific topics to research on and seeing the work through until the end of the project, for all projects I work on. This is where personal preference comes into play once again because some people may like having many projects at once and focusing on the ones they choose to.
I believe that both sides do have pros and cons as mentioned but its not necessary to be involved in both sides at some point of time to understand which suits you better. I am curious to hear the opinions of others on this take!
If you had to select right now if you would work Academia or Industry, which would you decide? Their approaches to research are different and yet similar at the same time. Did their approaches to research aid you in your decision?
I like the freedom that academic jobs give you since you can create your own schedule and work on your own time. However, academia jobs are a lot harder than industry because you need to figure out almost everything yourself. Also, industrial jobs, in some cases, are a lot less work, but you get paid more than academic jobs. If you are looking to get quick money, then you should look into the industry, but if you would like to choose what you want to work on and receive more knowledge than the money, you should go to academia. I am still deciding whether or not I want to go into academia or industry, but I believe I need to get more experience in both fields before I can make a final decision.
This is a question I have been grappling with for the few months after my undergrad. After reading the other responses here it seems I agree most with the last two responders @nm523 & srp98. It would entirely depend on the circumstances and desires of the individual. Someone who is super curious, exploratory, and wants to make novel breakthroughs could fit in both settings. The question comes down to the lifestyle an individual wants to live. If an academic setting, with the opportunity to have ling summers and shape the future of the field is more appealing; one should choose that. If an industrial setting with more real world, immediate impact studies is what one desires; they should choose that. I think that an industry setting is more suited to my disposition. I want the ability to move up to an upper level position, and try to make some type of large scale positive change in the industry.
Im personally ready to get into industry. As others in this thread have stated, a good portion of my undergrad career as a BME student has been spent on research and writing papers. I honestly could not see myself doing that for the rest of my life. I would rather work in a fast-paced work environment. I do understand research is important for the development of medical devices, however its just not my cup of tea.
Although I am currently working in industry, even when I was in school I saw myself more inclined to work in industry rather than academia. The idea of doing lots of academic writing and teaching as a professor are not where my strengths or interests are. Plus, I like working for a medical device manufacturer because I can directly see that the work that we do has a tangible, positive impact to society. What first interested me in biomedical engineering was the application of scientific principles to solve real-world medical problems. Of course, those scientific principles couldn't have been established without centuries of research and hard work accomplished by those in academia, but personally working in academia is not for me.
I am currently working in industry and I love the fast-paced environment and pressure. It almost feels like I've grown up in this environment and it's all I know so far, however I would be curious to try working in academia. I have found myself enjoying teaching others and I do think I could do a good job, and research as a professor/post-doc will be out of my comfort zone. It would be a fulfilling experience I believe, whether I enjoy the experience or not. I believe that trying new things and becoming a more well-rounded person is key to being successful, so I am open to working in academia after being in industry for a while.
If I had to choose right now I would choose to go into the industry. I'm more interested in the industry because the main reason I chose this field was to have a impact on people's lives, and the best way to do that would be to work on projects in the industry. Being able to see patients benefitting through my work, whether directly or indirectly is a great motivation for me to keep working hard. While, I do plan on working in the industry for the foreseeable future, throughout my academic career I have been interested in the research being done by my professors, so there is a possibility that later on in my career I may teach a few classes and later on transition full time to do research.
If I had to select right now to work in academia or industry, I would choose an industry. The industry is more of my speed pertaining to a more evolutionary type of research. Regarding academia, they need to be more patient than scientists working in the industry. I've always been interested in research and development, which is more progressive in the industry than academia. Also, the pay parallels the work being done, as academia needs to focus more on financing. I have worked on writing grants for academia; it is very tedious and time-consuming, while in the industry, they have a team to do that—such an industry.
If I had to select right now to work in academia or industry, I would choose an industry. The industry is more of my speed pertaining to a more evolutionary type of research. Regarding academia, they need to be more patient than scientists working in the industry. I've always been interested in research and development, which is more progressive in the industry than academia. Also, the pay parallels the work being done, as academia needs to focus more on financing. I have worked on writing grants for academia; it is very tedious and time-consuming, while in the industry, they have a team to do that—such an industry.
