I'm often asked when I'll return to "industry" full-time, or why I'm teaching now instead of waiting for retirement. There is incredibly easy, and as any student of Game Theory will tell you, self centered answer. It's all about the incentive received, for everyone this is measured differently, but rarely is this only about the dollars and cents. In my case it's also summed up by the emails and calls I receive from students that illustrate the value of what they've learned. I received one the other day that I wanted to share here.
This should in no way be taken as reasoning (or a substitute) for teacher pay, quite the opposite, it is an illustration of the value realized which few other professionals can directly attribute their efforts to.
