Academia and/or industry
“Early on in life, I got an idea of what a PhD entails from my brother who went on to do a PhD in Computer Science. We had a computer at home which fascinated me as a kid. I gravitated towards an academic career in computer science after growing up. I did have the opportunity to join a job following my undergraduate degree, but I opted for a PhD instead. Looking back, I don’t regret my decision and, given a chance, I would take the same set of decisions and opt for a PhD.
When I moved to IISc Bangalore from Kolkata to pursue my PhD, it felt quite overwhelming. During BTech, you have certain courses and exams that you have to pass in order to get the degree. But PhD was a completely different ball game. When I joined, we were given a few months to talk to potential advisors to decide our dissertation area. Looking back, the time period to make this decision was probably a bit short since you have to juggle graduate level coursework and converge on a PhD topic/advisor. What I really loved about the IISc campus though was the peer group that I had. This set the tone for what our lives would be during those 5 – 6 years. Initially, I was sad to leave home. But now I feel more at home in Bangalore when I visit India, because this is essentially where I grew up to be an adult. And that peer group is more closely knit today than ever before. My PhD life at IISc shaped me into what I am today.
My area of research was called formal methods- algorithmic techniques to verify properties of programs. Formal methods present important theoretical challenges and have wide ranging applications in industry. I continued working in the same area on a bigger scale during my industrial PostDoc at Microsoft Research, and then in my current job at Microsoft.
Like any other PhD candidate, I had my fair share of ups and downs. Meeting my wife at IISc was undoubtedly one of my highest highs, and so was the thrill of publishing the first paper and the aspect of traveling to new places. I had the opportunity to visit multiple countries like Germany and Israel for internships, and Paris and the US for conferences. Cultural differences in academia that I saw included more aggressive networking, frequent traveling and more aggressive research to industry translations. It’s heartening to see these aspects rapidly picking up in the Indian academic setting as well.
At IISc, apart from research, I also started doing things that I had never tried before- like running, playing table tennis and badminton and long-distance cycling. I was far from being a master of these activities, but I did overcome the fear of just giving something a try. Unfortunately, I did have mental health issues as well; not getting results after repeated attempts was stressful. I was fortunate to have had a very supportive peer group and my wife, with whom I could share thoughts. Initially I wasn’t too open about my problems with other colleagues. But, when I did start sharing things, I found out that many others were going through the same set of issues. And it was not just confined within the walls of IISc; the same issues existed in other institutes in India and abroad. Therefore, I believe it’s important to have a network during our PhD which provides a safety net to assure us that we aren’t alone in the journey.
I was pretty sure of transitioning to industry because, to me, this presented a better work-life balance. I have come across appeals to intellectual freedom in academia and I agree with it since I experienced it. However, I have experienced just as much intellectual freedom in my endeavors in industry. I absolutely loved my PostDoc at Microsoft Research Bangalore, and I love what I am doing currently. I think it all boils down to an individual’s perspective on where they see themselves as a better fit. I personally dislike the phrase “academia versus industry” which I heard several times at different seminars. It is not a competition. It should perhaps be “academia or industry” (the “or” being logical) based on where one fits. Maybe you are good at both, or in one or the other. I encourage folks to find this out for themselves, with an open mind.
Personally I was keen on exploring the industry opportunities in the US, but the pandemic had just kicked in and the job interviews were canceled. There was also a ban on several US visa categories. It was a tough time for me. Eventually, I ended up getting several great offers and I decided to continue with Microsoft and transition to a US-based role. Now, we have a general perception that you are scaling up your quality of life when you move abroad. But you may be swapping one set of problems for another. Of course, the US has more opportunities, funding, less pollution and the likes. But the visa regulations and healthcare system are far more complicated, expensive, and sometimes unpredictable.
Our education system should truly help students who want to do something different, and at the same time, encourage incremental growth. It is the accumulation of these small growths that eventually lead to disruptive ideas. Additionally, the funding scenario in India needs a reformation. The bureaucracy associated with it needs to smoothen out so that students and professors can work without additional hassles. We also need to bring in people from both academia and industry on common platforms to make students aware about the job market, and the skill sets required to succeed in these domains. It is our responsibility to propagate these opportunities and advancements to Tier-2 and other institutes, otherwise we will never have a fair competition.
To conclude, I want to tell aspirants to consider a PhD only if it truly serves their interests. There’s a certain perceived glamor associated with the PhD degree- the day-to-day grind is not as well advertised and can get very daunting. And for PhDs who want to take that leap into industry, familiarize yourself with the work that the industry is doing so that it becomes easier for them to decide if they want a PhD, or simply hire someone straight out of undergraduate college. Do your research, connect your own PhD skill set with what the job demands, and hopefully the tables will turn in your favor.”
-Suvam Mukherjee, PhD in Computer Science, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
Interviewed and written by Payel Das
