davidbau.com

Freedom and Purpose

I spent 20 years making products in industry before switching to teach in academia, so I am frequently asked to compare the two paths by PhD students who are facing the choice between them. Here is my answer: industry and academia fundamentally have two different missions, and when choosing between them you should think about what kind of impact you would like to have on the world....

Misgivings

In my life I have paid a lot of tax.

And every year, after participating in debates about how to spend it all—town, state, and country—I have been proud to write each tax check even when I disagree with the decisions.

This is the first year I have had serious misgivings.