RI@CMU vs. research lab@Silicon Valley

[SanPittscool]

Got an offer from RI@CMU program. In addition, a research lab (not a top lab now like those in Google, Microsoft ) in the bay area has offered me a full-time position.

 

I'm quite interested in the sci.&tech. for intelligent robotics. RI at CMU is no doubt one of the best places for doing research in this filed. On the other hand, being a scientist in the lab in SV is also attractive - the job includes coming up with new ideas and writing patents, publishing papers, going to conferences in computer vision and AI. 

 

Seems both options are quite attractive.

 

Could anyone provide any suggestions on it?  

 

[darkacai]

i am new at this too but, If it was me, RI@CMU. Pedigree to some extent is important if you want to continue research. Rather than performing research what other(private sector) labs tell you to do, you can perform your own for them.

 

Maybe in short-term outcome, the research lab probably have drooling financial packages. However if you look at the longterm investment, RI@CMU can get you into the top labs no problem (#1 in world where to find?). Not sure what your current financial situation is, but if you want to shape the world with robotics in the coming 20-30 years, I would assume that academia is necessary. Also, I would think the world's top & startup robotic companies would come to scout for CMU RI graduates --> and eventually work at paloalto/SV (potentially be co-founder and IPO/bought out by corporations).

 

Then again, I've heard stories of a pair of Columbia Computer Science friends such that person A gets into PhD program at top 10 CS university. his friend B failed to get into any grad school (probably bad grades) and worked as early founder at facebook. 5 years after person A's phd program, he got an offer at microsoft at $110,000 as software engineer. Person B currently has $10m networth after IPO.

 

Not sure if you heard of it recently, "Nest" the learning thermometer, 4yo 200employee company bought out by google for $2.3billion this january. The company was created by a group of iphone/ipod designers, former big company managers, and well-known roboticist.

 

Just FYI, google just bought out alot of top japanese robotic companies. Microsoft is kind of laggying compared to google.