Daniel Herde
Data Scientist at causaLensWhile academic work is very intellectually stimulating, I appreciated the more immediate impact that can be achieved by working in industry.
While academic work is very intellectually stimulating, I appreciated the more immediate impact that can be achieved by working in industry.
My take-home message to anyone is always to be realistic and recognise who and what you are and to follow that.
A Ph.D. is about much more than demonstrating problem solving and analytical abilities. Learning to collaborate and communicate effectively with others is a key aspect of research, both in academia and the workplace.
It’s very rewarding working directly with patients and exploring their experiences on different treatments. I also love the collaborative atmosphere and working across multiple areas, as you gain a lot of experience over a relatively short period of time.
It is great to be part of something where the progress is really tangible and your contributions really do seem to make a difference. I most enjoy the sense of reward when we overcome a difficult problem or successfully bring together technologies we’ve developed.
There are plenty of (paid!) chances to see what the world of Policy is like, and researchers are welcomed with open arms.
There are a lot of amazing opportunities outside of academia and leaving does not mean you have ‘given up or failed’.