It just seems seems bizzarre that someone who has invested many years of their life into a hard science degree (much less a graduate degree in hard sciences) an

It just seems seems bizzarre that someone who has invested many years of their life into a hard science degree (much less a graduate degree in hard sciences) and has the intellect and work ethic required to excel in a scientific field would genuinely be more interested in "business" than in advancing their field. I mean that in the pure sense of puzzlement rather than judgement: I understand the value of business people (more-so having been in a few startups), but it seems like a role much better suited for economics, political science, or some of the liberal arts majors; I just don't understand that why it would appeal to someone who took pains to study a scientific discipline. To quote Democritus, "I would rather find a single causal law than be the king of Persia." I can understand a scientist or an engineer doing "business" work in the context of a startup -- usually their own (as there's simply no one else to do it, or no one else who understands the product and is capable of doing it, etc...) -- but choosing to do "business" when given the choice between an engineering role and a generic "business" role is what I just don't get. As a side note, I also find pursuit of power and status (not saying that is what all those who enter management consulting have -- but I am sure at least some see it as motivation) to be far scarier than pursuit of money: if an unscrupulous character is hungry for money they'll be satiated quickly as money has diminishing marginal returns. Desire to have power over others knows no bounds.