Some of you who know me know that for the last 10+ years or so I have very much been an academic entity of sorts. When I think back, really, I can pinpoint it to 2004 when I decided to further my studies after obtaining my Bsc. in Computer Science {CS} by entering the most mysterious of things, graduate school. This was when my interest in academia really began to flourish. When I first decided to become a graduate student back in '04, I really only had a slight interest in the whole idea of research and development as a career path and, when I really think back, I surely had no interest in the whole teaching aspect attached to such career paths in higher learning. However, as the years progressed, successfully obtaining my Msc. in CS and now being an active PhD Candidate in CS as well as successfully teaching both labs and courses at a university level, I have become quite fond of the whole research and development activity as well as teaching. What surprised me even more is that as the years progressed (and are still progressing), is that I am becoming more well tuned, {refined} if you will to the point where I have significantly more confidence in my abilities in these regards; research and development, but even more so, teaching.
Those who know me well know that recently I decided to test out the other side of reality, the so-called "real-world" of industry. Drastically different than academia, my brief time in industry has taught me that I have much to learn in how this side of life truly functions. In academia, you have a lot of creative freedom and money and resource time (I really hate this word, "resource" and how it is used in industry); anyway, money and resource time in academia is really an afterthought. What matters most in academia is the researching, the discussions, and the furthering of knowledge that leads towards a better understanding of things in general so that more research and development can follow. In industry, sure this is still present, but it does more to a limited extent. I'm slowly learning that time is the most precious element/aspect of industry; and time in relation to how much cost is associated with it. I'm not saying that this is necessarily a bad thing. What it is, I think, is that it is surely a very different way of getting things done as they relate to my perception of reality. This mentality, I have recently learned, is something that is truly alien to me.
So, what I'm trying to say here is that both experiences, academic and industry, have been truly enlightening. Specifically this post is about my perception of industry as it relates to my brief experiences thus far. So far, working in industry has posed many challenges, of which I am excited about as well as nervous and concerned. These challenges have allowed me to get a better perspective of things, and specifically, where I actually may truly belong in this world {and what I truly want to be when I grow up..ha}. Corny, maybe, and I haven't yet made up my mind, but I do have a better understanding of things. I know this may sound very cryptic to some of you reading this but I'm hoping those who know me, know what I'm trying to get across with these comments
I'm hoping this will be the first update of many that may occur throughout this year chronicling my new experiences in industry and of course, my continued academic ones. I hope you can provide thoughts and insights as you join me in discussing this journey of mine. I would very much appreciate it! - tMac
Very True
As an self-taught programmer who took university classes while working, I have experienced the same thing, but from the other direction. As a funny example, in my last class at the University, the professor was talking about NP hard and NP complete problems and he had us imagine a job where we were given a single problem and after working on it for six months, we returned to our manager and told him it was impossible. I laughed. If I did that in a job, my manager would fire me - in six months, you better have 50K lines of code written and tested on a working system, not proof that one problem is impossible to solve.
I've also coached programmers that have come straight out of university, and the desire to create the perfect algorithm/data structure/system is the biggest thing I have to break them of, followed by the desire to abstract everything to the nth degree. Sometimes you just write simple and dirty code because it is faster and easier to maintain.
Just think, though - this experience will make you a better teacher.
Jason (since I don't know how to not be anonymous on your site...)
Thanks
Hi Jason -- Thanks for your comments...I assume that was 412? I guess your comments could also apply to the 305 class/lab too. As you say, the quick and dirty may be a necessity, or better, a reality in industry as there needs to be valid and working functionality implemented regardless; the job depends on it. It actually saddens me a little to hear that you have to "break them of" things learned in university. I guess really, when you break it down, it starts at the manager level. Deming talks about this in his infamous Deming Cycle PDSA and how "the problem is at the top, management is the problem" (wiki link). Hopefully over time, and as folks like you get into those positions of higher authority, perhaps things will change. But again, perhaps my idea of utopia is just too far reaching as cost is so much a part of industry. Maybe when open source/free software becomes more mainstream, change may be more likely to follow...if it ever does?? ..but really, that whole can of worms is another debate altogether
I also agree that these experiences will all be for the better, in teaching and in my research. Thanks man! -tMac
PS: I think I fixed the whole anonymous issue...I'll have to wait till I log out to test :-)
N and I can hardly believe
N and I can hardly believe that you find any success, be it academic or industrious. The title of the blog post is incorrect! Academic is an adjective. What your title should read is Academia vs Industry: Why I'm a weiner in both arenas.
bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
like, whatever...(wo)man!
yes english teacher...must I wear the dunce cone yet again?