[JadeNB]

> A PhD is required to do research in academia

I'm not sure what this means—no-one can stop you from doing research anywhere, regardless of your qualifications. Do you mean that most academic research jobs require a Ph.D.?

(I left the bit about industry out of my quote because I don't have the faintest idea. Maybe it's true.)

[ajdecon]

Probably what he means is that most "research scientist" or "research engineer" jobs out there require a PhD. Though there are a fair number at larger labs that only ask for a masters. But:

>I'm not sure what this means--no-one can stop you from doing research anywhere, regardless of your qualifications.

This may be true in CS, but in most physical or biological fields is not fully true. The permits you need for handling certain materials are more difficult to obtain without a PhD, and it's hard to get funded without it as well.

[JadeNB]

> This may be true in CS, but in most physical or biological fields is not fully true.

Good point. I'm a mathematician, and the resources that we absolutely must have are even fewer than those of most CSers; I didn't consider life in other disciplines.