What are the importance of doing research to the field of engineering?

Question

What are the importance of doing research to the field of engineering?

Answer 1

Research in pure science is great for bringing new concepts: laser, transistors, and so on were essentially pure science.

But to have super small transistors in a chip of a computer, to have a small laser in a DVD player, and so on, that also required research in applied science (i.e. engineering) so that those could be produced reliably and cheaply enough to become every day products.

Expand the principle in: development of better car motors, anti-lock brakes, aircraft aerodynamics and engines, cell phones, ink jet printer, and so on, and you should have an idea of how important research in engineering is.