By: Jing Zhong, UNC Kenan-Flagler Class of 2016
Biotechnology is the answer to hunger, health, energy… almost all the main threats to humanity. I have had a long lasting dream of applying growing biotech knowledge to a number of issues that exist in science and in life. After college, I spent two years in a Chinese agribusiness firm and seven years doing molecular life sciences research in California.
Although I really enjoyed my experience as a science researcher, I felt there were some problems regarding life sciences research that prohibited biotechnology from becoming the next ICT industry. Firstly, most intelligent principal investigators in life sciences research do not possess business acumen. Since academic publications and basic sciences principles were emphasized, most researchers chose to maintain their academic prominence by conducting basic scientific research that was decades away from making it to the industry. Secondly, new ideas in biotech required tremendous investment, not only in time but also in real money. The labor- and capital-intensive U.S. FDA approval process pushed most biotech startups to instead seek acquisition by a larger firms. It was frustrating realizing that I was not fulfilling a direct responsibility to society.
Because of this disparity and gap between sciences and business, I reminded myself of my previous business experience. Although we were not a hugely recognized firm and my salary was low comparably, every day was vibrant and goal-oriented. I really felt I was helping many of our clients to succeed in their lives; these results were demonstrated directly through the increase of employees, a hike in revenue, and the smiles on my coworkers’ faces. As I believe my technology background is adequate for any practice, I determined it was time to bridge the gap between my scientific research and a business background.
Now during my time at school, I have found that hardest thing during the transition is not coursework, but culture. Yes, I have spent many years in the U.S, but I still felt the impact of struggling to be or find a cultural fit. In science research, networking is less prominent than in business – all that matters is publication and research projects. Moreover, methods of networking can vary tremendously. As a new MBA coming from the academic world, I was initially unsure of how to even choose topics to talk about. (At science career fairs, networking is more straightforward about your research project or publications.) In the business world, networking comes more through experience, lifestyle and persona. I found my answer through the age-old advice all students get: just be yourself. Your favorite sports team, hometown, interesting stories, and even a few academic experiences, are all great points to start with.
On the contrary, having a science background can also give you a boost in the business world, especially in research and strategic thinking. I am happy to find that my current business environment is similar to research in many ways, and have enjoyed using this background during my transition to the business world.