I don’t think that’s obviously true. In my grad school cohort, many of those who left academic research were just as smart and successful as those who stayed.

I don’t think that’s obviously true. In my grad school cohort, many of those who left academic research were just as smart and successful as those who stayed. On top of that, “rising” often takes time which our current system doesn’t always allow for: there are lots of opportunities gated by time-since-degree and age.