You don't have to leave engineering to research plants or rocks. You just have to leave some urban center. Remote work is difficult to negotiate at times, but for some of us it is worth it.

You might also like this book.

A Review of Jeff Schmidt’s Disciplined Minds: A Critical Look at Salaried Professionals and the Soul-Battering System That Shapes Their Lives

http://disciplinedminds.tripod.com/business-and-society-revi... http://disciplinedminds.tripod.com/