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What Differentiates Research in Academia versus Industry?

Peter Eckes, President, BASF Bioscience Research, and Alexa Dembek, DuPont’s Chief Technology and Sustainability Officer, have the answer for you
Industry Matters Newsletter

Youtube ID: jzzn1FZBydI


Peter Eckes, President, BASF Bioscience Research[00:00:00] I was on the path to be a professor. What was driving me to this? It was clearly this freedom to decide what kind of fundamental problem you want to work on. You have to be good in writing grants still because otherwise you don't have the money. But, on the other hand in industry, I think clearly it is all about at the end providing customer solutions.

This will funnel the direction of the research, as John already said. I think what is usually different really is that it is always many, many people that are involved. We had yesterday our innovation award at BASF going to a new fungicide and we actually reviewed a thousand people who were involved in the development.

Just imagine a thousand people in a development of a single product. It's obviously a huge team effort. 

Alexa Dembek, Chief Technology and Sustainability Officer, DuPont: [00:00:59] I fully agree. I think the timeframes are different, but the passion isn't; the level of curiosity and the commitment to have an impact, either a scientific impact, or a commercial impact.