"Why is this research topic important"?

[windypoplars]

Embarrassingly I was stumped during my phone interview on this question - why is the research topic you're interested important? I didn't have an answer to this, and I better be prepared to answer this for forthcoming interviews now… How would you answer this? I'm struggling with this, in that I don't see how this can be important other than that it is something that excites me to learn about. Should I be answering as if I'm writing for a grant? - in how it might contribute to society? I struggle with this question because honestly the reason for my interest is not to make the world better. It's just something I viscerally have an excitement for….So should I just try to articulate why this topic excites me? 

Edited December 20, 2013 by windypoplars

[Loric]

Well that's just it..

 

Because you find something intellectually stimulating doesn't mean it amounts to a hill of beans or that anyone else should care, or worse, pay for it.

[windypoplars]

Well that's just it..

 

Because you find something intellectually stimulating doesn't mean it amounts to a hill of beans or that anyone else should care, or worse, pay for it.

I see. Framing it that way makes sense for me to sell this topic. 

[TakeruK]

To me, the question "Why is the research you're interested in important" is not the same as "Why are you interested in the research topic?". Depending on the situation, it could mean "Why should X pay for this research?" but to me, it really means "How does your work fit in with current human knowledge about this topic?". I think if you answer this last question, then all of the above (why would anyone care? why should people pay for it? etc. is also included). Think of it as if you were going to write this up as a scientific paper. In the introduction, you generally want to state the problem, discuss current knowledge and show how your work/project contributes to the current body of knowledge. 

 

So even though the interviewers probably know exactly why, it could be a test to see if you understand the "big picture" of your research problem!

[windypoplars]

To me, the question "Why is the research you're interested in important" is not the same as "Why are you interested in the research topic?". Depending on the situation, it could mean "Why should X pay for this research?" but to me, it really means "How does your work fit in with current human knowledge about this topic?". I think if you answer this last question, then all of the above (why would anyone care? why should people pay for it? etc. is also included). Think of it as if you were going to write this up as a scientific paper. In the introduction, you generally want to state the problem, discuss current knowledge and show how your work/project contributes to the current body of knowledge. 

 

So even though the interviewers probably know exactly why, it could be a test to see if you understand the "big picture" of your research problem!

Thanks! This was very helpful!!