[SimplyUnknown]

> but programming is also an essential skill for pushing the boundaries in just about any field now

This is definitely true. But it is important to remember that writing code is a means to an end and not the goal in many PhDs. You do it to get results and to many bears no more importance than measuring chemicals or prepping an animal for examination. In the eyes of professional coders this will lead to poor practices (hard to maintain, little testing, etc.) but up to a certain degree this is fine, IMO, because you don't need production-quality code to get results.

> You don't need to get a phd to push the boundaries of knowledge > A lot of work that generates real value is also pushing the boundaries of computer science.

I agree with both of these. A lot of cool stuff pushing the boundary of knowledge is happening outside of academia. But a lot of cool stuff is also happening within academia.

> Good scientific work often has real world impact. I agree, whether it is within or outside of academia. As I think that this is the goal of academia, I remain with my stance that if you aren't trying to do that you are in the wrong place.