There is a great rewarding feeling when a product realization you worked on reaches hands of people including closed ones and help them live a better life. Both long and short term research are important and necessary. Long term research would usually strive to solve problem(s) that require technological and/or science innovation; methods, devices, etc. While short term research would strive to mitigate or control a problem. It may sound simplistic, but I see it as comparison of identifying a treatment vs. identifying a cure. From the standpoint of a researcher, it is most fulfilling to work on on short term research and see first hand the product helping people. However, the long term research produces novelty that are most impactful to humanity.