Moving from Corporate IT to Science?

EdinBear asks: "I've been working as a SysAdmin in an increasingly corporate internet services company, which has been hit hard by the fallout from the .com bust. When I started some years ago, I felt I was helping small and interesting companies get benefit from the burgeoning Internet through useful and attractive web services. However, since the Internet became 'normal', the focus has been purely commercial - and instead of helping an enterprise get exposure in an interesting way, it's all about money and finance. I now feel I want to move into Science to use my skills in a productive, 'big picture' kind of way, rather than just helping a client get more rich through financial services. I'm interested to hear if other people have found themselves in a similar position; is the transfer to Science/Research/Academia difficult? Is the grass greener on the other side? The money is less, but is the job satisfaction more?"

Comments

Re:Of course, I did the opposite...

[HanzoSan]

Crap aspects of the Univerisity:

* I worked in the administrative area, so there was no academic politics but there was politics, often hostile and highly personal.

Next time major in political science.

# There was never enough money, we ran our systems until they broke, without software that would have made many jobs much easier. The lack of resources often made who got what resources *intensely* political.
You get paid for doing work, stop being lazy, and learn to be more political.



Good aspects of the University:

* Lots of campus discounts and freebies. Classes could be taken for next to nothing, if they weren't out-and-out free. Deep discounts at the bookstore on software and computer bits (this meant something 15 years ago).

Discounts are always good
* Awesome internet connectivity and network access. Our office's specific technology sucked goat nuts, but campuswide there was a shitpile of stuff that could be utilized and lots of smart people.
What do you expect at a college campus?

* A really relaxed atmosphere -- from the bucolic surroundings, to pretty easy work and no slave hours.
Once again its a college campus!

* I got laid A LOT. Time, place, people, general zeitgeist? Who knows, but it was sure easy.
Typical player arent you? Getting laid alot is nothing to brag about unless its with the same woman.