“It Was Really Inspiring to Find Companies Carrying Out Really Impressive Missions”

In our interview with Kirsten Smayda, she tells us about her role at a neurotherapeutics company. Here she does applied research that relates to her earlier PhD work, using music for clinical applications. Kirsten discusses her transition from academia to the industry, the similarities and differences between the two, and her passion for her current work which aligns with her academic background. She highlights the importance of viewing the academia-industry spectrum as a set of opportunities rather than a dichotomy. In particular, she emphasizes the importance of networking, gaining industry exposure during doctoral programs, and considering initial industry jobs as stepping stones. Kirsten also explores the notion of academic freedom in an industry setting and reflects on the potential to have a greater societal impact by working in industry. Lastly, she advocates for increasing collaboration between academia and industry.