Original Post

Play role games, please!

Research engineers shine, when they play these information-intensive roles. One role at a time, with different responsibilities and expectations.

1) Student (oh, yeah, learn more than you can process!)

2) Scientist (search for ideas, ask questions, formulate theories, make models)

3) Inventor (use the theories and models, and put them to test, to invent new technologies, tools, working ideas)

4) Engineer (use the working ideas you found as an Inventor, and already proven technologies and best practices for practical applications to solve actual problems of particular clients)

Each role (you can call them "phase", and combine into something like "Scrum/Agile", with continuous improvement feedback cycles) has its CUSTOMERS.

The problem of finding MEANING in life and work, is setting very clear expectations, of who is your customer, and what they want.

Without understanding your role you're playing right now, it's hard to understand the problem, or pitch yourself as a solver.

I don't know how about you, but as an engineer, I am inspired by the "get rich fast" religion of Silicon Valley. But it misled me as a research engineer, because the most of roles I've played were not engineering. And I lost the meaning of my work.