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Career profiles: What does a mathematician do all day?

 

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Why should you take A levels in maths or statistics? Or even study these subjects at university? Taking a degree based on maths or stats does not mean that you have to become a mathematician. Maths is not a subject on its own, but a set of tools or way of thinking. Almost any area you can think of has a need for mathematicians. After all, how can you study the oceans if you don't understand the waves? Or develop new drugs against diseases if you don't know how to test whether they work or not?

On this page we explore personal histories of people who have based their career on a maths related degree. From Formula One race car engineer or computer game desiger to TV presenter or oceanographer it's all there — take your pick!


Careers with statistics

Women and science

Women in maths
Have a look at our list of female mathematicians and be inspired.



Career profiles from the OR society

Operational Research Society careers page
Operational research - helping businesses and organisations to function efficiently - is a major career option for mathematicians. The career page of the OR society tells you how to start and where you can go.

Operational research career profiles
One major career path for mathematicians is to go into operational research. This is about helping modern organisations to function efficiently. Whether it's transport logistics or financial issues, it takes a mathematician to understand the complicated systems involved and to suggest optimal solutions. On its webpage, the Operational Research Society has put together a list of career profiles.


More about careers with maths and stats

Prospects.ac.uk
A comprehensive careers web site for all graduates offering advice and information on various career paths, as well as employer lists and job vacancies. The site also features case studies and information on graduate destinations and salaries.

scenta - role models
Browse the case studies on the scenta website.

The Faculty and Institute of Actuaries
The web site of the two profesional bodies representing actuaries in the UK has a host of useful information about becoming an actuary, with a special section dedicated to careers and jobs.

The RSS guide to careers in statistics
Full and detailed information about careers across the whole range of statistics, from the Royal Statistical Society

Plus magazine careers library
A collection of interviews from people in various maths-related careers, showing the wide range of uses maths can get put to in the real world.

The Institution of Civil Engineering
The Institution of Civil Engineering has an informative website that tells you what engineers do and how you can become one.

Careers from the MAA
The Mathematical Association of America provides many profiles of people applying mathematics in both the commercial and academic arenas.


Work experience

Work with schools
This website provides information on work experience for teachers, students, and parents.

The Trident Trust
This trust helps 15 to 25 year olds to find work experience placements

The National Council for Work Experience-15 to 18
To find out what you would like to do after school it can be helpful to join a company for a work placement. The website of the National Council for Work Experience has a section for 15 to 18 year olds with useful links and advice.


Video profiles

Maths in the workplace (Careers Advisers section)

A collection of videos illustrating how mathematics is used on a day-to-day basis in a variety of jobs.

More...