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BIG Jobs Guide: Business, Industry, and Government Careers for Mathematical Scientists, Statisticians, and Operations Researchers

by Rachel Levy, Richard Laugesen, Fadil Santosa

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2018 / xii + 141 pages / Softcover / ISBN: 978-1-611975-28-4 / List Price $25.00 / SIAM Member Price $17.50 / SIAM Student Price $15.00 / Order Code: OT158

Contents
Preface
Index

Jobs using mathematics, statistics, and operations research are projected to grow by almost 30% over the next decade. BIG Jobs Guide helps job seekers at every stage of their careers in these fields explore opportunities in business, industry, and government (BIG).

Written in a conversational and practical tone, BIG Jobs Guide offers insight on topics such as:

  • What skills can I offer employers?
  • How do I write a high-impact résumé?
  • Where can I find a rewarding internship?
  • What kinds of jobs are out there for me?

The Guide also offers insights to advisors and mentors on topics such as how departments can help students get BIG jobs and how faculty members and internship mentors can build institutional relationships.

Audience
Whether you’re an undergraduate or graduate student or a job seeker in mathematics, statistics, or operations research, this hands-on book will help you reach your goal—landing an internship, getting your first job or transitioning to a new one.

About the Authors
Rachel Levy advocates for mathematical modeling from kindergarten to industry and everyday life. She has served as Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College, SIAM Vice President for Education, and founded the BIG Math Network. She is the Deputy Executive Director of the MAA.

Richard Laugesen created with colleagues at the University of Illinois an internship program serving over 25 students per year. He enjoys working toward a more diverse and inclusive community of mathematical scientists.

Fadil Santosa has been engaged in providing in BIG internship and job opportunities for over 20 years at the University of Minnesota through the Minnesota Center for Industrial Mathematics and through the Institute for Mathematics and its Applications.

The BIG Math Network is sponsored by American Statistical Association (ASA), American Mathematical Society (AMS), INFORMS, Mathematical Association of America (MAA), and SIAM.

 

My advice to those on the job market is: don’t give up. The job market is difficult these days. Academic jobs are on the decrease. Government and industry jobs are available but can take time to get because of the extensive security clearance process for many positions in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, and also just because of the overall supply and demand for everyone. So be open. Be patient and prepare yourself for your dream job. It may take a little time.

Carla Cotwright–Williams, PhD, Social Security Administration

Women, we need you at the table in technical and leadership roles. Data science jobs are exciting and increasingly critical, and the societal relevance continues to grow.

Margot Gerritsen, PhD, Stanford University and founder of Women in Data Science Conference

The biggest thing that a mathematician brings is the ability to take a problem and express it in a way that non-experts understand and the ability to figure out how to best solve it. I think that our mathematics education gives us very general problem-solving skills. I don’t have recipes for this is how you solve problem A and this is how you solve problem B. I can pull in different ideas to create a new recipe and I have an overall understanding of why one method might work when another doesn’t.

Genetha Gray, PhD, People Analytics, Salesforce

Not every mathematical terminology or theorem will be used when you work in industry, but there is one place where mathematical training helps you stand out: the capability of abstraction and thinking fundamentally. It will always lead you to new solutions.

Dongning Wang, PhD, American Family Insurance

 

ISBN 9781611975284

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