Careers with Maths 2017

Maths Game-changing jobs of tomorrow

Creating cool customer experiences p16

discover maths everywhere

10

amazing jobs you never knew used numbers p6

Sports skills in action in the AFL p20

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issue 1 2017

Careers with

DRIVE YOUR FUTURE

with Defence Science and Technology Huon Bornstein is driving the future of our ground forces.

He’s testing his designs to make Australia’s armoured vehicles tougher – using the water they carry. Store it in the right way and it can protect the vehicle, and its passengers, against landmines and improvised explosive devices.

Ready to drive your future? You could work with Huon and his colleagues in Melbourne or Adelaide.

{Careers with Maths}

For more information visit www.dst.defence.gov.au/careers

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issue 1 2017

<FOREWORD>

Careers with

issue 2 2017

Maths Science Careers with

of tomor row Game -changing jobs

Game-changing jobs of tomorrow

Find your ultimate career personality p6 Why future jobs need science skills

Leadership opportunities from industry

p4

p11

Creating cool customer experiences

10

p16

d in tomorrow’s Get the skills to succee

Careerswith STEM

careers

T

TERM 2 2017

Careers with

Maths

issue 1 2017

For Digital Technologies, PDHPE, Science and Maths Years 7-10

Game-changing jobs of tomorrow

Creating cool customer experiences p16

discover maths everywhere

10

amazing jobs you never knew used numbers p6 Sports skills in action in the AFL p20

CareerswithSTEM.com [Human rights defender] [Master chef] [Fighter pilot] [Game designer] [Business guru]

Careerswithstem.com >> order copies >> read online >> i nfo for educator s + more FREE Teacher Notes now available!

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] designer] [Business guru chef] [Fighter pilot] [Game [Human rights defender] [Master [Exploration]

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, s a e id w e n r e v Disco s n io t p o y d u t s d n careers a aths? ch more than a eers withyoM What is Cerar maths again, but it’s mu ol ho sc h hig ay’s ur e us if you’ll ever nt skills needed for tod th importa You may wond – it trains your brain wi ers mb nu d fashion, game design, an ols mb sy jumble of such as retail, spor ts, rs ree ca in t an ev rel rsally jobs around now careers. Maths is unive ny more. That’s just the ma d an nt me on vir en , the ll affect about 40% animation, conservation y we do things that wi wa the g gin an ch for term t-growing areas.

– digital disruption is a p for many of these fas pre at gre is ths ma y at’s wh tomorrow. of current careers. Th st amazing careers of mo the to t ee sh t ea ch your Careers with Maths is

Bet you didn’t think of

10

these roles

You do the maths

Considering dropping maths?

Check this out first

12

Play your numbers right

Smart mover

16

Get techie, get the job

Companies need loads of people with these stren gth

18 s

20

We’ve got your number

24

Be a game changer

26

Why maths isn’t a yaw

n any more

Wanna make a dif feren

ce?

High impact

You can make it on the

14 If you’re heading for a leadership role, maths paves the way Maths helped two you ng CBA stars find their wa y

7 cool careers

Around the world or rig ht in your own neighbourhood

world stage

28

Healthy humans

30

Tertiary institutions wh ere you can study maths while building skills in another field

course directory

32

High school students

Maths on the mind

34

Making the world a bet ter place for the people living in it tak es a lot of number-crunching

share their views

graduates Average starting salary for maths Source: Graduate Careers Australia (2015), GratStats – employment and salary outcomes of recent higher education graduates

{Careers with Maths}

4

Australia

8

19

future?

Progressing STEM skills in

Why do maths?

Look beyond the numb ers and you’ll find great opportu nities

5 ways maths is used in real life!

Destiny’s calling

Ready for a data-driven

stralian Industry Group,

6

1.5 times faster

Show me the money

You can cash in on a car eer with maths

– the rate that jobs in sc ience, technology engineering and maths (ST EM) grew compared to other jobs. STEM jobs in creased by 14% compared with 9% for other jobs between 2006 an d 20 11.

Source: Au

Contents

<CONTENTS>

14

MATHS+ leadership

18

Get data skills and jump into the world of startup business to fast-track success in fintech.

MATHS+ technology 24

MATHS+ creative vibes

75%

From entertainment to fashion and design, creative industries need maths-savvy graduates.

owing stest-gr of the fa s require STEM on occupati and knowledge ls il k s

*Source Australian Industry Group, Progressing STEM skills in Australia

Work in some of the most amazing places in the world crafting cool tech to solve real-world problems.

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30

MATHS+ helping people

MATHS+ global warrior Discover how maths solves global problems from developing smart energy systems to defending cyber borders.

5

Yep, skills in maths can make you feel better â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and help make the world a healthier place, too.

{Careers with Maths}

y e n o m e h t Show me or tracking customers’ ls al m ng pi op sh g in gn Whether it’s desi aths sh in on a career with m ca n ca u yo , ts bi ha ng buyi

#2 #1

building buzz

Street cred

JOB: ARCHITECT MATHS BEHIND IT: From initial design to detailed blueprint and estimating the cost of a build, maths is an architect’s best friend. It is also vital for identifying potential structural flaws.

JOB: URBAN PLANNER MATHS BEHIND IT: Urban planners use geometry to determine the best location for shopping malls, and the homes, streets, utilities and public amenities that feed into them.

#3 water wise JOB: HYDROLOGIST MATHS BEHIND IT: These aqua engineers calculate how much water the buildings need the pressure it needs to be at and where it can be pumped from.

#4

tour guide

JOB: CARTOGRAPHER MATHS BEHIND IT: This map-maker uses algebra, calculus and trigonometry to create virtual indoor maps displayed on locator stations throughout the mall.

{Careers with Maths}

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<STARTUP>

#5 JOB: AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER MATHS BEHIND IT: Geometry and calculus help to manage planes at take-off and landing, and to monitor aircraft as they travel the skies.

High flyer

trend tracker

#6

#7

Out of sight

JOB: OPTOMETRIST MATHS BEHIND IT: Precise measurements of the eye are used to calculate the types of lenses people need to correct their vision.

#8

JOB: MARKET RESEARCH ANALYST MATHS BEHIND IT: Analysts use algorithms to identify shoppers’ buying patterns, including how they buy, where they buy and what they buy.

buyer’s market

JOB: PURCHASING AGENT MATHS BEHIND IT: This agent ensures a business has the goods and services it needs to operate and must negotiate the best price for them, so they must be up-to-date on price trends.

#9 cool designs JOB: ARTIST MATHS BEHIND IT: An artist uses maths to calculate dimensions, such as object spacing, angles and shapes, to make sure an image looks as appealing as possible.

#10

Makes scents

JOB: CHEMICAL ENGINEER MATHS BEHIND IT: This engineer calculates the making, combining and testing of compounds that will create a new fragrance, eyeshadow or lipstick.

7

{Careers with Maths}

Why do maths?

Look beyond the numbers and you’ll find a fascinating topic offering boundless career opportunities

W

HOW WOULD YOU CHANGE THE WAY MATHS IS TAUGHT? “I would include more puzzles and mind games. Things like cryptic crosswords and lateral-thinking problems.”

– Talia Gokyildirim, Moriah College, Queens Park, NSW

HOW WOULD YOU CHANGE THE WAY MATHS IS TAUGHT “I would make mat ? hs more interactiv e, not just flippin pa ge 20 and solv in g to g question af ter qu estion. I would m the teacher be re ake qu ired to thorough ly ex plai n ever y ne tech nique and topi w c.” – Saskia Horgan -Catchpole, Year Sydney Secondar 9, y College, Balmai n, NSW

{Careers with Maths}

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hen Monica Wulff came home from Sydney’s German International School the only homework her Englishspeaking parents could understand was maths. “There’s a universal language with maths which transcends our regular verbal languages, which I think is a uniting factor,” says Monica.

Often described as the “language of science”, people naturally good at maths are better at picking up foreign languages, but the similarities don’t stop there.

Contrary to popular belief – and much like languages – you don’t have to be a genius to use and benefit from maths.

“We’ve gotten caught up with the idea that doing maths means you have to be really good at it,” Monica says.

“But doing maths is like doing anything else – you’ll have varying levels of competence and that’s OK. Understanding how some of it works allows you to see everything in a different light.”

Monica’s maths teacher told her she wasn’t the best at maths, but that she was good at statistics. So after a double degree in applied finance and economics from Macquarie University in Sydney, she joined the Australian Bureau of Statistics where she noticed a gap in knowledge – there were no statistics on the startup community. As a result, Monica founded Startup Muster in 2013 to offer “relevant, reliable statistics that showcase what is going on in this community”.

Her experience is becoming more common as people begin to realise that instead of being a dry, irrelevant classroom topic, maths is critical to modern careers. Moreover, it gives you an understanding of the world and a set of tools that allow you to fully explore your passions and interests. – Ben Skuse

<STARTUP> WESTPAC

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Nation Year 7 student Bailey tbooks tex ths ma al ion dit tra llege in he (left) from Billanook Co g ba r you wn do ing igh ng the app we Melbourne has been usi e y’r the , avy he ly on t tching out are no all term. He enjoys ske The new l’. oo sch d ‘ol gly sin app’s increa long equations using the ng azi am an is ck blo l. “I’ve the too kid on handwriting recognition rm tfo pla ing ch tea to e ce work onlin started using Mathspa d an a ali str Au in ed op it’s easier devel out problems because rld. wo the d un aro ed us notes. It being than going through my tbook, tex rt pa is ce pa ths n pace.”

Ma helps me work at my ow l tutor. na rso pe d an ok bo se a exerci Mathspace focuses on by ed ess acc be can it en tackling While student’s progress wh et ern int an h wit e uggling to anyon a problem. If they’re str is gth en str l rea its , on cti they can conne get the correct answer, ssrooms. cla in ed us ing be it’s son before how revise the previous les each wn do aks bre p ap e s is easier Th moving for ward. “Math steps, ple sim o int m ble pro thspace maths to understand with Ma dback fee t tan ins you es giv you’re on the and because it tells you if d, lise na rso pe is Th ts. hin y,” says and right track straightawa lps he ach pro ap tep y-s 8 student at step-b Meghan Rewit t, a Year to w ho d an rst de un nts rforming stude the Hunter School of Pe of d tea ins – m ble pro to ask a ve solve Ar ts in NSW. “I don’t ha It’s er. sw an the ing ply ore sup ym just my parents for help an Kong, blems now being used in Hong because I can solve pro n 200 tha re mo in d an nroy US Co the on my own.” – Gemma a. ali str Au oss acr ls oo sch

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Westpac has partnered with Mathspace to provide the Mathspace Essentials platform free to all Australians.

Maths turns sketches into skyscrapers.

In almost every job, getting the maths right is key. That’s why we are offering every Australian free online maths tutoring through Mathspace Essentials.

Westpac Mathspace

9 Westpac Banking Corporation ABN 33 007 457 141 AFSL and Australian credit licence 233714.

{Careers with Maths} WBC 00474 03/17

<GET THE FACTS>

ways maths 1 is used in real life!

ist Forensic Scient’s C SI,

Just like the stars of TV ve crimes forensic scientists sol ples, blood by analysing DNA sam ch more. mu d an rns spatter patte

5

HOW WOULD YOU CHANGE THE WAY MATHS IS TA UGHT? “I wou ld wa n t to see how we cou ld physica lly use the theo ry of maths in rea l li fe.”

– k ayla Gelman, Mor iah College, Queens Park , NSW

Geometry and trigonometry is vital for blood pattern analysis; statistics and probability come to the fore when matching DNA patterns.

Cryptographer

2

From protecting military and financial data to chasing digital write crooks, cryptographers ation orm inf sk algorithms to ma . sts ori err and unmask cybert

How maths is used Modular arithmetic helps create “digital padlocks” and keys; algebraic geometry is the basis of “elliptic curve” cryptography; abstract algebra protects classified information.

3

Foreign Exchange Trader

In seconds, you can decide how millions of dollars are spent. Foreign currency traders buy, sell and invest in currencies and use maths to quickly spot inefficiencies in the markets.

ed How maths is ushe lp

ity Statistics and probabil ps. ga t rke ma ot sp traders d an y etr om on trig Algebra, out risk. rk wo rs de tra let calculus

4

Nurse

Nurses are at the frontline of health care in hospitals, clinics and in the communit y.

How maths is used Percentages, fractions, calculations and ratios are part of the daily work of nurses, who are constantly monitoring drug dosages based on factors such as a patient’s weight.

Meteorologist

5

ather Accurate and timely we y important for forecasts are criticall livery; preparation emergency ser vices de d safe aviation. for extreme events; an

How maths is used Probability and statistics assess weather; trigonometry helps predict location and movement.

{Careers with Maths}

How maths is used

10

WATCH CAREERS IN ACTION

CareerswithSTEM.com/ videos

GET AHEAD WITH AUSTRALIA’S 1ST BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN ANALYTICS “If you excel at Mathematics, do an Analytics degree at UTS. You will gain real-world practical experiences, work on interesting problems and be rewarded with a well-paid job.”

> By 2018, the United States of America alone could face a shortage of around 1.5 million data analysts with the knowledge and skills to manage big data to help businesses make effective decisions. (2011 McKinsey report)

Ignatius McBride Statistical Analyst, Australian Prudential Regulator Authority UTS Graduate in Mathematics,

> UTS Science is preparing graduates to fill this gap. Study the UTS Bachelor of Science in Analytics or combine it with international studies to broaden your career and employment opportunities. > Add on an internship program and start building your own network while studying. > Get started at UTS, Australia’s #1 young university according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

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{Careers with Maths}

<GET THE FACTS>

you do the maths Should you drop maths in Year 10? ask yourself these questions first 1. Do you know for sure that your career won’t need maths? Y/N Studying maths seriously prepares you for any career.

It’s great for developing excellent problem-solving skills and thinking critically.

You’ll be amazed to find out how mathematically trained people use what they know in almost every field you could possibly think of.

2. Have you got the basic maths skills you need? Y/N

Whether you want to finish maths in high school or take it all the way to a PhD, you need to build the basics first. Maths at school is taught in sequences to help it all make sense; if you skip any of the groundwork you may be in trouble later.

But don’t stress if you didn’t do highlevel maths at school and still want to go to uni. Most universities offer bridging courses to help you get to HSC-level maths to be able to continue your studies.

3. Want to work for a cool coding company one day? Y/N

Many of the fastest-growing careers – particularly in technology – value maths skills. “Data literacy is more important than ever: just knowing Excel doesn’t do it anymore,” says UNSW Sydney statistics fellow Peter Straka, who recommends budding mathematicians also get to know some code programs such as Python or R. You can also try a free online resource like Khan Academy, Math Planet and Math Warehouse to up your maths skills.

... now keep reading to see how these mad maths skills get put to use

1. get cooking MasterChef fans everywhere know how important it is to get a recipe right.

“I use maths all day, every day,” says Ashlie Manganaro, an apprentice chef at Bluetrain restaurant in Melbourne. In her job she measures portions, calculates meal costs and converts measurements.

3. pilot the skies 2. build games Kevin Chan is the technical director of games studio, Robot Circus. He went into game development after getting his software engineering degree at the University of Melbourne. Software engineers use maths skills to reason with abstract objects and structures.

Royal Australian Air Force fighter test pilot Peter Tippner flies high in the sky. His Bachelor of Science (double major in science and maths) gets a workout when he uses geometry and trigonometry to assess flight courses, while direction compasses help Peter calculate angles and avoid hazards.

5. be a human rights champ Field statistician Romesh Silva did a Bachelor of Science and German Studies double degree, majoring in maths, at UNSW Sydney before turning his expertise to human rights issues.

Romesh now uses technology and statistics at the Human Rights Data Analysis Group in San Francisco to quantify human rights abuses. – Fran Molloy

4. start a business Matt Bullock, head of Spinify, is one successful guy. He completed a Bachelor of Computer Science (majoring in mathematics) at the University of Wollongong before starting online payment gateway eWAY and Spinify. This platform – based on ‘game theory’ – utilises high-level maths, statistics and probability to motivate sales staff.

{Careers with Maths}

12

the Moon to rom putting a person on to producing e ng analysing climate cha is behind the ths ma smartphone technology, s of our time. ion ent inv biggest discoveries and It gives us tools to “Maths is everywhere. us understand the solve problems, helps s us build cool stuff,” let world around us and , lecturer of applied says Dr Lewis Mitchell iversity of Adelaide. mathematics at The Un to most challenges, “Maths can be applied when relaxing. In even the ones we face y Crush or Angry nd simple games like Ca rns or combine tte Birds, we recognise pa t a sequence of ou different tools to figure logical thought ly app moves,” he says. “We often don’t even to solving problems – and ths.” realise we’re using ma siness, marketing, to From engineering bu s development, a wide public health or game d well-paid careers range of rewarding an ensuring your maths require maths skills, so as like algebra and foundation is solid in are is key to getting a job. calculus, for example, out for people “Employers are crying mathematics to of r who can use the powe insights,” says Lewis. provide solutions and think, and that’s “Maths teaches you to you do beyond at wh valuable no matter u Ok el high school.” – Racha

F n r a e l , d discomsvin ethr ThinkSolv, ing e real worl proble the university of adelaide

TO GET THERE: Bachelor of Mathematical Sciences, The University of Adelaide

13

{Careers with Maths}

Play your numbers right Pump up your maths tool kit and be a leader all the way...

SHUTTERSTOCK

W

hat has calculus got to do with the real world?” can be heard from any high-school kid, sitting in a classroom. But maths skills are crucial in today’s job market and will be a must-have for many of the jobs of the future. “As a foundation skill, maths will open up new doors for people who want interesting, world-changing careers,” says Danny Gilligan, co-founder of Reinventure.

Danny is a venture capitalist and maths is at the core of his role. “We look at 200 to 300 new ventures per partner per year and decide to invest in just two or three,” he says. “This requires an almost intuitive sense of numbers to make quick decisions.”

Reinventure specialises in financial technology (fintech) and implementing new tech to improve traditional financial services. While old finance was dominated by big banks and big businesses, fintech is full of startups and smaller companies, companies that might look at everything from how fast-transaction database Blockchain and digital currency Bitcoin can revolutionise banking, to investing in insurance-tech apps that use security cameras, smoke alarms and even moisture sensors to alert homeowners of anything unusual at their property.

And the people behind these startups need maths skills, too. “Being able to read, manipulate and analyse data is key to growing my business,” says Lachlan Heussler, managing director of Spotcap Australia and New Zealand, a company that uses sophisticated credit algorithms to lend money to small businesses online.

Fintech is an example of a multibillion-dollar industry that didn’t even exist 10 years ago, but other mathsrelated industries have been around for centuries.

An actuary, for example, is like a fortune teller, applying problem-solving skills to help organisations plan for the future and protect against big biz risks.

Phin Wern Ting, a life insurance actuary at ClearView Wealth Ltd, who completed a Bachelor and Master of Actuarial Studies in 2013 at the Australian National University (ANU), says: “Actuarial studies was attractive because it has a strong focus in numbers yet business acumen is essential.” With newly qualified actuaries earning around $100,000 per year and more senior roles pocketing $250,000 a year, the profession >>

{Careers with Maths}

MATHS+ leadership follow...

ess YouTube: UNSW Busin Twitter: @ausfintech

School

Facebook: @finsiay fp ty of Sydney LinkedIn: The Universi Business School

learn...

Pre -Universit y Calculus

, Ed X Introduction to Actuarial Science, ANUx MOOC Bachelors of Mathema tics/Commerce, The University of Queen sland

Bachelor of Business/Ba chelor of Mathematics , Queensland Universi ty of Technology Bachelor of Science (Ho nours) in Analy tics, University of Technolog y Sydney Bachelor of Actuarial Studies, Australian National Un iversity

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Entrepreneur: *$98,5

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Actuary: *$98,769 Corporate executive:

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14

Commonwealth Bank

Reserve Bank of Australia

<LEADERS>

Anna Podolsky

As a foundation skill, maths will open up new doors for people who want interesting, world-changing careers.” is well paid. But if traditional actuarial areas of business and insurance don’t interest you, Bridget Browne, who was Phin’s lecturer at ANU, says actuarial skills can also be applied to various passions.

Bridget develops mathematical models (programs that use maths to predict things) to determine how services like health, education, welfare, child protection and justice work for individuals. “These models are then used to help government agencies provide services and benefits to those in need,” she says. – Ben Skuse GET A HEAD START IN BUSINESS CareerswithSTEM.com/ leadership

Think outside the box I

’ve always enjoyed studying maths so pairing maths with commerce for my degree was an easy decision – and one I’ve never regretted, the courses complement each other so well.

As a consultant at Bain & Company in San Francisco, I work in a team using a data-driven approach to solve business problems for companies across industries like mining, retail and healthcare.

At Bain I’ve been lucky to work across most major cities in Australia.

I also spent a year in Santiago, Chile, and learnt Spanish on the job.

Maths careers are only going to grow in demand as the world becomes increasingly reliant on leveraging technology and data.

Applied maths in particular is an important skill, as data becomes abundant, organisations that can leverage it in their decision-making will have a huge advantage. Artificial intelligence, for example, is an emerging area with maths at its core.

Now is also an amazing time to be a female mathematician. Women with quantitative skills are under-represented in the workplace and are in high demand, which opens doors to so many opportunities.

Bachelor of Science (Mathematics) Commerce (Finance), UQ

Intern, Quantium

Consultant, Bain and Company

Creative classrooms J

ustin Matthys is a perfect example of someone who has benefited from mathematical thinking.

Trained as a physicist, Justin was part of a research group that discovered the Higgs boson – one of the most important scientific discoveries of the 21st century. Yet a niggling passion for teaching saw him join the Teach For Australia program, becoming a full-time teacher in a disadvantaged school. In his classroom, he noticed that most students didn’t have the maths needed to properly explore interesting science.

“It’s heartbreaking to see enthusiastic minds hitting roadblocks and limitations,” Justin says.

“So I resolved to do whatever I could to change that.” In 2012 he co-founded Maths Pathway, which partners with schools to completely reform the way maths is taught – something many students agree needs to happen. – Ben Skuse

Bachelor/Master of Science (Physics/Mathematics), The University of Melbourne

Postgraduate Diploma of Education, The University of Melbourne

15

Co-founder, Maths Pathway

{Careers with Maths}

r e v o m t r a Sm s made a U-turn These two financial guru re they found their fo be ay w gh hi er re ca e on th b coat off and he groove. She took her la customer frontline... stepped back from the

Talia Elchah

bright idea from medicine to energy, Talia Elchah’s career has been a blast...

LAUREN TROMPP

I

n high school, I always thought my passion for maths would lead to a career in medicine, so I opted to study medical science at the University of Sydney. However, after just one semester, I realised medicine was not my calling, so I moved to a double degree in mathematics and finance at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS).

After graduating, I tacked on an extra year of honours study and found myself researching solar energy pricing. It was a fascinating project and it gave me a broader understanding of how maths can be used to solve complicated problems – a skill I use now as a campaign analyst in Commonwealth Bank’s deposits and transactions team.

I get to use logic to drive big decisions, which is so exciting and while my role requires a lot of technical skills, like coding and data analysis, it also involves helping colleagues develop effective campaigns that will get results and meet customer needs.

I’m passionate about breaking down complex ideas into simple steps, and I get to do this every day, working with different people. When I see the “aha” moment on their faces, it’s an amazing feeling.

The key to improving maths skills is in finding the answer. Many people just focus on getting it right, but you need to understand each step that leads you there, too. Once you master the steps, you will have skills that can be applied anywhere.

Bachelor of Mathematics and Finance (Honours), UTS

{Careers with Maths}

Analyst, Deloitte Australia

Campaign Manager, Commonwealth Bank

16

<LEADERS>

James Fan

just do it A passion for marketing and love of analytics is the perfect combo for business

W

hile I was growing up, I saw maths as a means to an end. But since I joined Commonwealth Bank (CBA) as a marketing graduate in home loan acquisitions, I’ve seen how maths can be used as a powerful tool to achieve business outcomes.

I think people believe maths skill is down to having an innate ability, but in reality it’s about how hard you’re willing to work at a problem. In the words of the intrepid actor Shia LaBeouf, “Dooo it… Just dooo it!” And while it didn’t seem immediately practical at school, I still use Year 11 algebra every day!

I started out in customer relations at CBA while completing a double degree in commerce and law at the University of Sydney. I’ve also worked in wealth management before starting my current role.

Although my background is in marketing, I really enjoy working on the technical side of things. Being at CBA has sparked my interest in taking a more analytical approach to marketing.

One of my favourite aspects of my job is having the opportunity to work with such a wide variety of people. It’s important to have a broad understanding of business and finance, and working with top-notch people has helped me develop this.

Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing)/Law, University of Sydney

Service Improvement Specialist (Communications), Commonwealth Bank

17

Marketing Graduate, Home Loans and Acquisitions (Group Marketing and Strategy), Commonwealth Bank

{Careers with Maths}

<TECH HEADS>

Get techie, get the job Tech-minded maths types are in demand!

Companies need loads of people with these strengths, so get savvy and jump the job queue

T

hinking logically and solving problems is essential in a technology career. That’s why it’s such a good fit for people with mathematical skills. “Maths gives you a bunch of useful tools, like how to think about abstractions in a meaningful way,” says Daniel Nadasi, engineering director at Google Maps. “It’s a way of thinking that makes you well-suited to working with big systems like large server networks and cloud applications.”

Daniel graduated with a double major in mathematics from the Australian National University before joining Google as a software engineer. Now, he looks after the data infrastructure that powers Google Maps – pretty cool!

Statistician Patricia Kavinksi got her start as a data mining analyst at a Brazilian marketing company. Now she has an internship at the NSW Department of Finance, Services and Innovation while studying a Masters in Data Science and Innovation at the University of Technology Sydney.

Being part of the second-placed team at the SydneyHack 2016: Pedestrian Safety Hackathon at the University of Sydney didn’t hurt her internship application either.

Data scientists slice and dice huge chunks of data to identify trends. It’s a big growth area that can command even bigger salaries – and Patricia says you can apply data science to nearly everything. “Every company has lots of data and wants to improve it.”

Cyber security is another area demanding fresh, analytical minds. The Australian Government Cyber Security Review uncovered major threats to online security through malware infections and cyber-crime. Areas such as cryptography, which protect private data such as passwords and banking details, require a solid grounding in mathematical theory to compose tough-to-break algorithms.

To work in technology, hone your code. Practising languages like R, Python and Ruby helps general maths and statistics skills, and hackathons are great, too. You could be on your way to a super-colossal career in big data. – Chloe Walker

follow...

YouTube: bit .ly/2or5I2 s Facebook: @lifeatgoogl e Twitter: @C yberSecM onth Facebook: @bigdatauni versity

learn...

stralia University of South Au Mathematical Sciences, rsity stralian National Unive Computer Science, Au rsity g Studies), RMIT Unive Technology (Computin velopment, Holmesglen Diploma of Sof tware De Data Science, Udacity

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CareerswithSTEM.com/ technology

18

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maths gives you a bunch of useful tools.” {Careers with Maths}

MATHS+ technology

<HIGHLIGHT: UNSW SYDNEY>

destiny’s calling Maths skills are essential for a data-driven future

W

ith its focus on specific problems, both real-world and abstract, university mathematics at UNSW Sydney gives students a solid grounding in analytical skills that are highly regarded in the workplace. Data science – one of the most in-demand skills for the 21st century – also relies on key maths concepts like algebra and calculus.

Computers and high-end software play an important role in maths at UNSW Sydney, and courses offer smallgroup tutorials so that all students get the right support.

The Faculty of Science has offered a brand-new degree in 2017, the Bachelor of Data Science and Decisions, a multidisciplinary program that will combine skills in mathematical methods and statistics with computing, business decisions and communication.

But maths is not just about data science – it also underpins nearly every major science project around.

Dr Gordana Popovic is a Statistical Consultant at UNSW Sydney’s Stats Central, where she supports internal research. “Almost all research, whether it’s in health, engineering or biology, requires statistics,” she says.

“My job is to meet with people, hear about their research, and advise them on how to conduct the right analysis.”

On leaving school, Gordana enrolled at UNSW Sydney where she did a joint degree in maths and education, then after completing an honours year, did a PhD in statistics and statistical ecology. “Statisticians use maths to

describe the relationship between different variables for data that has been collected,” she says. For example, you can use mathematics to look at information about rainfall, then build an equation that lets you predict how good the water quality is going to be.

Another senior statistician at UNSW Sydney, Australian Research Council Research Fellow Dr Peter Straka, is working on mathematical models for arrival times of extreme events, such as earthquakes and solar flares. “With my PhD student Ricky Gill, we write software to fit these models and perform statistical analyses to estimate the time and magnitudes of future extreme events,” Peter says.

After doing a five-year degree in mathematics in Germany, Peter graduated with a PhD in mathematics from UNSW Sydney in 2011, and has since worked as a postdoc in the US and the UK, before returning to UNSW Sydney as a researcher and a lecturer in statistics.

“I’ve always loved maths,” Peter admits.

At present he is working with researchers from public health on a machine-learning approach to identify patients with depression, and on another project which identifies clinics as clusters in a network of medical doctors. “There is never a shortage of interesting projects,” he says.

Peter and Gordana are perfect examples of how maths can open the door for collaboration with researchers from pretty much any field that produces data. – Fran Molloy

TO GET THERE: Bachelor of Data Science and Decisions, UNSW Sydney

19

{Careers with Maths}

7

cool careers

Daniel Pelchen

#1 footy fanatic always enjoyed dealing with numbers when studying economics at university.

But I came into my element when I found them in something I was passionate about – football. As technology becomes more prominent, numbers get more important.

Sport is a perfect example of this, when exploring things like finding new ways to measure ball trajectory, for instance.

Sports analytics is one area that will grow exponentially in the next 10 years as data in sport becomes more important.

The stats available at Australian Football League (AFL) level are far beyond what you’d think, it’s pretty amazing what you can do with them, too. As a performance analyst at Collingwood Football Club, I monitor the stats of more than 3000 players each year and indicate to the recruiters who’s performing well.

I love coming up with models that recruiters can use when making crucial decisions. It’s so rewarding when they draft a player I’ve ‘flagged’ through my work.

Bachelor of Commerce (Honours)/PhD Sports Analytics, Deakin University

{Careers with Maths}

Recruiting Assistant, Collingwood Football Club

20

Performance Analyst, Collingwood Football Club

TINA SMIGIELSKI

I

<CAREERS>

Rob Barone-Nugent

#2 Data champ I

like to understand how things work. I’ve always loved numbers and patterns, and trying to predict things. Maths is so important because it describes eve rything. When I was do ing my PhD at the University of Melbourn e I was lucky enough to get to work on data from the Hubble Space Telescope on galaxies . This way-out part of space was formed wh en the universe was ext remely young, so working with that up clo se was super cool.

But being a data scien tist in sport s statistics is pretty close to my dream job (the only thing better would be to be making music, while analysing sport!).

At Champion Data I’m part of a team that provides sport s statis tics, TV broadcasts an d new media ser vices to share the game wit h audiences for a range of sport s – from rugby league to netba ll. We’re also the officia l statisticians for the Australian Football Le ague. Mastering the fun damentals in maths definitely helps to find your path into interesti ng data jobs.

Bachelor/master of (Physics/Maths), Un Science iversity of Melbourne

PhD in astrophysics, University of Melbo urne

Data scientist, Champion Data

Lexing Xie

#3 puzzle solver B

oth my parents have engineering backgrounds, but my mum has been my biggest influence – she loves puzzles and opened my eyes to the beauty of maths.

After graduating with a PhD in electrical engineering at Columbia University in New York, I got a job with IBM and worked in research and development for a few years, before joining Australian National University (ANU).

I now lead ANU’s computational media lab, where we do fun stuff like trying to understand how online attention evolves, or why a particular YouTube video goes viral! We recently figured out how to mathematically identify a video’s viral potential, which was so exciting. Just like my mother, I love puzzles, and maths has provided me with a set of beautiful and powerful tools to tackle problems and solve them elegantly.

Bachelor of Electrical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

PhD in electrical engineering, Columbia University, New York

21

Associate professor, Computer Science, Australian National University

{Careers with Maths}

Jasmine Tan

#4 risk taker ers at high got switched on to numb is about thinking ths school. I love that ma being able to solve through problems and rsity, I enrolled in ive things logically. At un tics and Finance at a Bachelor of Mathema ology Sydney (UTS). the University of Techn rked in fund unit After graduating, I wo in super, wealth sis pricing, actuarial analy

I

Bachelor of Mathematics/ Finance, UTS

and insurance. management products in all industries, it Maths is fundamental le look at problems, impacts the way peop on societ y. solve issues and build g to data analy tics, With everything movin g the way systems maths and understandin than ever. It isn’t work is more important is ver y rewarding. easy, but, ultimately, it

Fund Accountant, , Commonwealth Bank Sydney

e unusual industrial ’d still be stuck in som We ths ma in d ereste s, no internet, no lthough I was always int e that has no computer ag of r yea t firs ly in my crazy! and science, it was on modern healthcare... It’s lised the rea I t tha ey dn Sy tics company Digital aly SW an university at UN an associate at As my in f sur I . wider world types of data will power of maths in the Kinsey, I focus on what Mc so t bu , sy’ ver y ‘math anisations. Doing free time which is not liver value to large org de d an nagement as it allowed me many jobs, like risk ma earch at uni was great res it’s yet e titl the ‘maths’ in , technical problems. consulting, don’t have focus on ver y specific to . elf its job the ponent of shing the analy tics such an important com w I can be part of unlea No rld wo the at ond wh which is exciting.

Let’s consider for a sec potential of Australia, ths careers? ma ve ha n’t did we if would be like

A

Bachelor of Advanc ed Maths/PhD Applied Ma ths, UNSW Sydney

& Consultant – Risk ing , ult ns Co on ati ul Reg PwC, Sydney

Actuarial Analyst, Rice Warner, Sydney

Isaac Donnelly

#5 wave rider

Austr alian Fulbrigh t Postgr aduate Northeastern UniveScholar, rsity, Boston

Associate, Digital McKinsey, McKinsey & Co, Sydne y

SAM CLIFFORD

#6 big cat crusader

vation. h a passion for conser am a mathematician wit ions in lat pu po r earching jagua At the moment, I’m res create to ths ma My team is using the Peruvian Amazon. uars jag es tur fea the geographical a statistical model of eos vid 3D ve ha o move in. We als prefer to live, feed and al loc m fro s ort s, as well as rep of the jungle and photo s. ult res st be ngs, to get the villagers of jaguar sighti cats, you where they’d see these le op pe By asking local ’t just can u Yo . are ere the jaguars can better measure wh a family gle and stumble across walk in to the deep jun op an vel de to es ilar techniqu of jaguars. I’ve used sim r Reef, rrie Ba t ea Gr al cover in the interactive map of cor of ty rsi ive Queensland Un as part of a team at the blic and p helps to inform the pu ma e Th Technology (QUT). of the reef. akers about the health government decision-m r the vironmental politics ove I’ve been involved in en arding. rew lly rea is rtant problems years and solving impo through skills – whether that be I want to use my maths the e sav lp he l research – to activism or professiona ference. planet and to make a dif

I

Bachelor of Applied Science/Maths (Honours), QUT

{Careers with Maths}

22

PhD Maths, QUT

Postdoctoral Fellow at the School of Mathematics, QUT

<CAREERS> Rachael Barnes

#7 High flyer M

aths is where it’s at, and if you learn it, you’re indispensable.

Mathematicians and engineers who understand how a piece of technology or software is built are in such demand. So knowing how to go from the blank piece of paper to a bridge or an aircraft is a great skill to have. When something doesn’t work, companies have to ask people with the knowhow – on the fundamental principles of science and maths – to advise on what’s possible.

I work as a flight operations engineer at Virgin Australia and I love doing anything that involves space, aircraft and numbers. I get a real kick out of knowing I’m doing something that few people do, or will ever understand.

Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical/Aerospace)/ Science (Mathematics), UQ Consultant aeronautical engineer, Airline Technical Services, Redcliffe, Qld

Flight operations engineer, Virgin Australia, Brisbane

Test yourself CBA Innovation Labs

w in has the tech of tomorro Commonwealth Bank ong for the ride... al u yo t an w ey th d an their sights robots or g big data, programming icture yourself analysin onwealth mm Co of e problems in on ess sin bu fe l-li rea g vin sol custom-built Innovation Labs. These g kin rea db un gro ’s nk Ba your new ideas. like you to use and test spaces exist for people n students, he also on hand to lp tur are s pro h tec d an ics Academ s. mers into game-changer entrepreneurs and custo ng, and London, Ko ng in Australia, Ho bs La on ati ov Inn are There p Melbourne, g the country – next sto llin ve tra lab p p-u po a as Innovation as well d out more and to see the fin To a! err nb Ca d an Adelaide on. ithSTEM.com/innovati Lab space, visit Careersw

P

A secure future for you, a secure future for Australia

“ When I completed my degrees in electronics engineering and mathematics, I was looking for a career that would expose

I’ve been given a wide range of opportunities to apply the knowledge I obtained during my time in university. In particular, I’ve been able to apply the skills from my work in mathematics in a range of unique and unexpected ways. These skills have helped me to provide vital contributions to the technical projects of each of the areas I’ve had the opportunity to work in, allowing me to in turn add to and develop these skills within a professional environment. Working in ASIO has allowed me to enter an exciting new environment with a unique range of challenges in a number of extremely interesting areas.

I’ve had the opportunity to interact with my mentor and my buddy, who have provided me with support and guidance both in aspects of my work and in settling into a role in intelligence. Professional development is highly encouraged in the Technical Intelligence Graduate Program, and I’ve been involved in a variety of courses both directly relating to my role in ASIO and through the program.

The program is a unique opportunity to gain experience in the wide variety of technical areas in ASIO. It will give you the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technologies and learn about the dynamic world of national security, all while developing your technical and analytical skills. Overall, the Technical Intelligence Graduate Program will provide you with a rewarding career filled with opportunities that you can’t find anywhere23 else. ” - ASIO TECH GRADUATE

Find out more information about the varied and exciting roles we offer in the field of technology at {Careers with Maths} careers.asio.gov.au

0044DD

me to a variety of areas of challenging technical work and allow me to further develop my technical skills. Through my role as a Technical Intelligence Graduate, I’ve been able to experience everything I wanted from a graduate program, while also gaining the rewarding opportunity to directly contribute to ASIO’s work in protecting Australia’s national security.

Don’t yawn your way through maths class.

This cool subject is making big moves in the creative world. Get amongst it!

{Careers with Maths}

24

SHUTTERSTOCK

We’ve A got your number

fter he finished high school, Patrick Brimmer took a gamble on his career goal. “I was good at maths, so I went for a degree with the aim of becoming a sports price trader.”

With his Bachelor of Mathematics and Finance from the University of Technology Sydney under his belt, Patrick moved into the gambling industry as a game designer for International Gaming Technology (IGT) on their fruit machines (‘pokies’). He says pokies are basically big maths equations involving polynomials and complex formulas: “It’s a creative role where you deliver new and exciting ideas.”

Now a product marketing manager for IGT, he cites maths as the key to his career: “The smarter you are with maths in my business, the more innovative you can be when building new games.”

Maths skills are essential to creative roles in industries such as entertainment,

<CREATORS>

The smarter you are with maths, the more innovative you can be.” fashion and design, and are becoming more necessary as these industries grow in the digital world.

Simulation artists and animators create visual effects in movies, TV and games, using maths to express how objects move, interact or even explode. “It’s a role based on maths, programming and artistic skills,” says Bernardo Iraci, Lead 3D Artist for Melbourne startup LithodomosVR. LithodomosVR re-creates ancient sites in Paris, Rome and Athens for virtual reality tours. Bernardo works with an archaeological team when he’s making the 3D animations, to ensure the user experiences are historically accurate.

As new digital technologies like VR, the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence develop, creative industries demand more maths-savvy graduates.

One such company is Procept, based in Victoria, which helps people design, develop and manufacture new IoT and wearable medical device products.

“Maths skills are used at each level of the business,” says co-founder Adrian Crouch.

“Any role where critical thinking and creative problem-solving are important, can benefit from the structured thinking maths gives you.” – Ben Skuse

asi daniel nad

MATHS+ CREATIVE vibes follow...

YouTube: bit .ly/2nMBzY s

EXPLORE MORE CREATIVE OUTLETS CareerswithSTEM.com/ creativity

Twitter: @stemtostea

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Instagram: @elonmu

sk Google+: bit .ly/2n2LtY M

learn...

Get the Math Machine Learning for Musicians and Artists MOOC Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science (Advanced Mathematics) (Honours), University of New South Wales Bachelor of Games and Virtual Worlds, Academy of Interactive Entertainment Bachelor of Games and Interactive Environments/Bachelor of Mathematics, Queensland University of Technology

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global google(r)

kid and I had some re my thing as a young umbers and puzzles we for maths. In the encouraged my passion the amazing teachers who (Honours) – Science at Bachelor of Philosophy my of r yea ed it lov ate I le. ltim og nu pe internship at Go iversity (ANU), I got an Un l na tio gh Na ou n en d alia ha str I Au Science where grees to a Bachelor of ship so much, I switched de o weeks after my intern tw le d was back at Goog an ate du lead gra to is to s le, dit og cre director at Go rent job, as engineering cur My d. to de en us lly ow all icia t off systems tha re teams. We build the r the geo data infrastructu physical world to powe the of d accurate model an te -da -to up t an tha of ate cre My story is pro ps and Google Search. . products like Google Ma ed and interesting places ect exp often lead to un can ths ma in off g rtin sta

N

Bachelor of Science/Maths, ANU

Software engineer, Google Austr alia

25

Tech lead/ manager, Google, New York

Engineering director, Google, New York

{Careers with Maths}

Be a game changer Wanna make a difference? Do the maths

M

athematicians solve a bunch of problems – from inventing smart energy systems, to defending cyber borders. But you won’t see ‘mathematician’ in their job title. So, what are these problem-solving careers?

Holly Briffa completed a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Actuarial Science from the University of Melbourne. Now, Holly’s an Associate at Strategic Project Partners, a general management consulting firm, where she tackles tough questions like: Should a business client build a new skyscraper in the CBD? Or: What is the benefit to society of a client’s research in neurotrauma treatment?

And, guess what? Holly’s solutions include maths. follow...

“The answer may involve modelling demand, quantifying risk, YouTube: bit .ly/2nMDig k or simulating different scenarios. And it almost always involves Twitter: @conradwolf financial modelling,” she says. ram Lots of people in the business sector need a maths skill set. Take Facebook: @Low yInstit ute data scientists, analysts and engineers, who use maths, statistics and YouTube: bit .ly/2o0 S2 dO programming to analyse business problems. Outside the business world, maths is still super important for putting solutions in place around things such as climate change, poverty and migration.

David Cock, a postdoctoral researcher at ETH Zurich in Switzerland, is working to stop billions of computers running learn... ta Science Major), Bachelor of Science (Da on software “never written with reliability in mind” from being Curtin University hacked. He warns students: “A maths degree doesn’t teach you Sydney e and Decisions, UNSW all of the necessary on-the-job skills. But you’ll have a very solid Bachelor of Data Scienc (Data foundation on which to add those skills, and mathematicians Information Systems Bachelor of Business logy hno Tec of ty Universi are in demand just about everywhere.” – Ben Skuse Analy tics), Swinburne

MATHS+global warrior

ty MOOC – Applied Cyber Securi Security Engineering nd Public : Using Data to Understa Social Media Analy tics arn) MOOC Conversations (FutureLe

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Mathematicians are in demand just about everywhere.”

{Careers with Maths}

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

CareerswithSTEM.com/ problem-solving

26

<GAME CHANGERS>

ANZ

world explorer a career in maths can take you to exotic places

I

n a company where maths is central to everything, ANZ business manager Michelle Dobson believes maths can open doors.

“Maths can be applied to many different areas in banking,” she says. Michelle manages projects that use technology to improve the bank’s day-to-day practices, and spots opportunities for new technology to transform the business.

Michelle completed a Bachelor of Business (Management)/ Information Systems at La Trobe University, then joined the ANZ Technology Graduate Program, where she learnt how core banking systems were designed and developed.

Her first management role saw Michelle contributing to ANZ’s largest ever technology upgrade, improving bank transaction software used in 17 countries. She got the chance to travel and live like a local in Cambodia, Vietnam and China.

“Maths has given me so many great opportunities, like experiencing different cultures and meeting amazing, inspiring people,” she says. – Rachael Oku

project Manager, Technology Service Management UPGRADE, ANZ

Bachelor of Business (Management)/Information Systems at La Trobe University

Business Manager, Technology Service Management, ANZ

Are you curious? Do you have a passion for differential equations? Perhaps you’re into geometry (because you like to consider all the angles)? Or maybe game theory is more your thing; I mean who doesn’t like a good prisoner’s dilemma? DSZQUPHSBQIZ? * Do you dream of fluid dynamics at night? (That’s okay we don’t either).

Yes, we ask a lot of questions.

Which is why we’re interested in you.

It’s just that we’re keen to hear your story. We want to understand what makes you, well...you.

One question we’re burning to ask: are you ready to join a talented and award winning team?

We really value difference at ANZ. Everyone who works at our bank has a story. And, where we all come together – with our different skills, experiences and views – is around delivering our very best for ANZ’s 9 million customers, in 32 countries.

Find out about our graduate programs by visiting: anz.com > about us > careers > graduate intern program

It’s our differences that make us great.

* Is what you get if you advance each letter of CRYPTOGRAPHY along one.

27

{Careers with Maths}

<HIGHLIGHT: UTS>

High impact

W

hnology, hether it’s working in tec g the world, llin ve conser vation, or tra can help lls ski s applied mathematic real world. the in you make a big bang n, data scientist at Atlassia Marianne Menictas is a are pany that develops softw a Sydney-based tech com bugs e writes code, looks for like Jira and Hipchat. Sh rience. “I see people using and improves user expe e says. these apps every day,” sh r of Science (Hons) in elo ch Ba a Marianne did a at UTS, then completed mathematical statistics ic on ers sup ed lop ve she de PhD – also at UTS, where of d much faster versions algorithms – simpler an mia. de aca d an try us ed in ind common calculations us she was fast-tracked when A career in data science boot ta Science’ three-month attended the ‘Insight Da an mentors helped her build camp in New York, where for she spent a year working app from scratch. Then dictive rtup Custora, using pre New York-based tech sta ailers g information to big ret tools to provide marketin to Hilfiger; before returning like Guess and Tommy lassian.

Australia to work for At are. eers aren’t limited to softw car ths ma is, The thing TO GET TH

{Careers with Maths}

ior Stephen Woodcock, a sen UTS, works with marine at ces en Sci al Mathematic er Reef. health of the Great Barri scientists to improve the cause and higher ocean acidity Rising sea temperatures cess pro ntually die through a coral to turn white and eve se ’. Stephen’s job is to analy known as ‘coral bleaching d look for ways to help the findings from the reef an ing unravelling the strings try conservation process. “I’m ” s are doing the damage, to figure out which factor days events – like a few warm he says. “Do single shock ess?” str re prolonged periods of – kill the coral? Or is it mo m tea phen works with: “a As a data consultant, Ste l scientists, environmenta of geographers, marine ts and somebody from scientists, sports scientis en is t group,” he says. Steph a business managemen ) (C3 mate Change Cluster also a member of the Cli which aims to reduce the research group at UTS, tems. ge on important ecosys impact of climate chan ng rt of his job is learni to The most challenging pa rth se disciplines, “but it’s wo speak the ‘language’ of the d un on exciting projects aro it,” he says. “I get to work d improve people’s lives an the world that will help a nt.” – Cherese Sonkkil conserve the environme

ce (Mathematical Sta ERE: Bachelor of Scien

28

tistics), University of

Technology Sydney

KRISTIAN TAYLOR WOOD, SHUTTERSTOCK

ationally ake a difference intern m n ca hs at m s ay w y w man It’ll blow your mind ho lecturer in the School of

<GAME CHANGERS>

university of queensland

d r a w r o f y a w ) y h t l a e the (h s maths graduates ol future for today’

etty co it all adds up to a pr

iversity of athematicians at the Un problems Queensland (UQ) solve physical and in areas ranging from engineering, biological sciences to Maths at UQ business and beyond. and statistics ths ma combines pure putation with modelling and com s. ue iss d to fix real-worl a Bachelor Dr Leesa Wockner did thematics and of Science (Hons) in Ma e completing Statistics at UQ, befor statistics. She a PhD in mathematical tistician at the then worked as a biosta te of Medical QIMR Berghofer Institu o the stats expert Research and was als ing Royal there, and at the adjoin tal. spi Ho n’s me Brisbane Wo

M

delivered Through her role, Leesa QIMR staff and statistical education to r. But mostly, researchers every yea iet y of projects she helped on a wide var human health. that had an impact on next She worked in areas like , which uses generation sequencing p an entire human complex maths to ma d epigenetics: the genome in one day, an changes, which study of heritable gene n disorders and can be linked to huma some cancers. fatal diseases, including tting-edge “I loved working on cu of chemicals projects, like patterns tients with in the brain tissue of pa esa. “There was schizophrenia,” says Le – Fran Molloy never a dull moment!”

TO GET THERE: Bachelor of Science (Mathematics and Statistics), University of Queensland

Pursue your passion for mathematics at UQ

The University of Queensland has a maths program to suit you – no matter what your career goals.

Demand is at an all-time high for trained mathematicians.

Respected for their excellent quantitative and problem solving abilities, UQ maths graduates are highly sought after and gain positions in a wide range of fields.

What will you study?

UQ offers five maths programs: – Bachelor of Mathematics (3 years)* – Bachelor of Science, majoring in Mathematics or Statistics (3 years)* – Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Mathematics (3 years)* – Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours), majoring in Mathematics (4 years) – Bachelor of Advanced Humanities (Honours), majoring in Mathematics (4 years). *Also available as dual degree programs with economics, engineering, education, commerce and information technology.

CRICOS Provider Number 00025B

Find out more future-students.uq.edu.au

29

{Careers with Maths}

Healthy humans Making the world a better place for the people living in it (aka us!), takes a lot of number crunching

MATHS+ heLPING PEOPLE follow...

YouTube: bit .ly/2nyizfj Facebook: @combine.a Twitter: @IEA _Epi Facebook: @S SA IBiost

ustralia

atistics Section

learn...

hnology urne University of Tec Health Science, Swinb ty Queensland Universi Public Health, Central of Melbourne al Biology), University Science (Computation rn Australia ics, University of Weste Mathematics and Statist

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{Careers with Maths}

91 Biostatistician: *$95,0 00 *median sal ary correc

t at 14/03/2017 via payscale.com

30

SHUTTERSTOCK

E

very year between October and December, the School of BioSciences at the University of Melbourne releases weekly forecasts of the pollen levels in the city’s air. The team behind the Melbourne Pollen Count take daily pollen samples and combine the results with weather data to create a forecast for the week ahead. This is just one way that maths is used to help community members manage their health.

Hayfever affects one in five people. With this kind of research, sufferers can avoid being outdoors on high-pollen days, and log their daily symptoms through the Pollen Count app to help improve the service. Yay for giving back!

Maths is vital when it comes to building healthy communities. Devising cost-effective solutions to chronic health challenges such as obesity, diabetes and skin cancer usually involves a deep dive into data from various medical studies and sources such as the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

“For policy change to happen you need to show that an intervention is cost-effective,” says Jeeva Kanesarajah, a PhD student and statistician with the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health at the University of Queensland. This kind of work is often undertaken by epidemiologists, who study diseases in populations, and biostatisticians, who develop statistical methods to analyse data.

“We use mathematical techniques in epidemiology to determine which lifestyle habits might affect your health risk,” says Dr Julie Bassett, a biostatistician with Cancer Council Victoria. To get into the field, you’ll need a degree in mathematics, or a health sciences degree that includes studies in statistics.

“Working in research requires a combination of skills and abilities,” says Julie’s colleague, fellow biostatistician Dr Kara Martin. “We look for mathematical and problem-solving skills, but it’s also important to have good writing and interpersonal skills to communicate your results effectively.” – Chloe Walker

<HEALTH HACKERS>

university of SYDNEY

doctor, doctor we talk maths in any language hen I started school in London, I wasn’t fluent in English,” says Jacqui Ramagge (right, inset), Head of the School of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Sydney.

Doing well at maths, however, gave her confidence a boost and sparked a life-long obsession with the subject.

Jacqui says that with some effort, anyone can be great at maths and go on to make life better for others through working in teaching, finance or even medicine.

“Health is the hottest area today for jobs in maths,” says Jacqui. “It draws on enormous numbers of maths scientists – like statisticians to analyse gene structure and mathematicians to model cancer growth.”

The University of Sydney is home to the ‘Network of Minds,’ a group of mathematicians, statisticians, computer scientists and neuroscientists who work together using simulations of brain networks to try to pinpoint causes of mental illness.

Across the health sector, areas like public health, the pharmaceutical industry and epidemiology all employ mathematicians to help analyse the data they collect.

“Whether you want to predict the stock market or improve TO GET THERE: Bachelor of Science (Financial a person’s health, skills in maths can help you have an exciting Mathematics and Statistics/Mathematics/ and challenging career,” says Jacqui. – Cherese Sonkkila Statistics), The University of Sydney

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COLLIN ZHENG/JAYNE ION

W

{Careers with Maths}

stem.com h it w s r ee r a c e: er h s Find more degree

Do MATHS + ... get immediate skills

Grad diploma/certificate Macquarie University >>> A ccounting, Commerce, and Business Administration >>> Information Technology Murdoch University >>> E ducation (Secondary) Mathematics Teaching QUT >>> Accountancy (Prof Acc) University of New England >>> C omputational Data Science University of Queensland >>> S cience (Mathematics and Statistics)

Be a leader

Business, accounting, economics, finance…

Australian National University >>> Mathematical Economics >>> Mathematical Finance Bond University >>> Business Maths >>> Quantitative Methods) Charles Sturt University >>> A ccounting

{Careers with Maths}

CQUniversity >>> Agriculture (covers banking, consultancy, marketing, trading and logistics) Edith Cowan University >>> Science/Business Flinders University >>> Accounting/Finance La Trobe University >>> Accounting and Finance Macquarie University >>> Economics/Business Analytics Murdoch University >>> Accounting Notre Dame University >>> Commerce Southern Cross University >>> Accounting University of New England >>> Accounting >>> Financial Services University of Queensland >>> Mathematics/Business Management University of Sunshine Coast >>> Accounting University of Western Australia >>> Quantitative Methods University of Wollongong >>> Mathematics

Solve global problems

Data science, analytics, decision science…

Curtin University >>> Data Science Federation University Australia >>> Big Data and Analytics QUT >>> Decision Science

RMIT University >>> Business Analytics Swinburne University >>> Data Analytics University of Melbourne >>> Data Science UNSW Sydney >>> Data Science and Decisions University of Queensland >>> Data Science University of Technology Sydney >>> Analytics Western Sydney University >>> Data Science

Get into tech

Spatial design, aviation theory, electronics…

Charles Darwin University >>> Information Technology CQUniversity >>> A viation Technology Curtin University >>> Industrial and Applied Mathematics Griffith University >>> A pplied Mathematics QUT >>> A pplied and Computational Mathematics Swinburne University >>> Applied Mathematics University of Adelaide >>> Pure Mathematics UNSW Sydney >>> Spatial Design University of Newcastle >>> Electrical and Electronic Mathematics University of Queensland >>> Engineering Science

32

Create social change

Actuarial studies, statistics, law, medical...

La Trobe University >>> Mathematics and Statistics Monash University >>> Actuarial Studies >>> Mathematical Statistics Murdoch University >>> Mathematics and Statistics RMIT University >>> Statistics UNSW Sydney >>> Actuarial Studies/Law University of Newcastle >>> Mathematics/Statistics University of South Australia >>> Mathematics and Statistics University of Southern Queensland >>> Applied Mathematics Statistics University of Sydney >>> Statistics University of Technology Sydney >>> Statistics University of Queensland >>> Bioinformatics University of Western Australia >>> Mathematics and Statistics University of Wollongong >>> Medical Mathematics

UNSW SYDNEY

Here are just some of the courses where you can study maths and build skills in another field at the same time

<DIRECTORY>

Be an educator or storyteller

Education, archaeology, arts...

Australian Catholic University >>> Teaching/Arts (Mathematics) Charles Darwin University >>> E ducation Secondary Teaching (Mathematics) Charles Sturt University >>> E ducation K-12 (Mathematics) Deakin University >>> Education Primary

Federation University Australia >>> Mathematical Sciences /Education Flinders University >>> Mathematical Sciences James Cook University >>> Education Secondary (Mathematics) Notre Dame University >>> Education (Mathematics) University of Melbourne >>> Mathematical Physics University of Newcastle >>> Teaching (Humanities) (Hons)

Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of degree names at the time of publication.

This is by no means an exhaustive list; there are plenty of other degrees available, including straight Maths degrees. Search more than 900 degrees in science, tech, engineering and maths at CareerswithSTEM.com Careers with Maths 2017 is a publication of Refraction Media. Copyright © 2017 Refraction Media, all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner or form without written permission. If you would like to reproduce anything from this magazine, email: info@refractionmedia.com.au This issue went to press on 18 April 2017. Printed in Australia

by BlueStar Web. Subscribe and order copies: CareerswithSTEM.com

University of Queensland >>> Mathematics/Arts University of Tasmania >>> Mathematics Victoria University >>> Science for Teaching

Be anything you want!

More great maths options…

Edith Cowan University >>> Mathematics Macquarie University >>> Mathematics

Cover image by: Lauren Trompp Produced & published by Refraction Media Publisher: Karen Taylor-Brown Head of Content: Heather Catchpole Production Managers: Heather Curry; John Roper Digital Editor: Elise Roberts National Integration Manager: Kym Gleeson Business Development Manager: Leah Callon-Butler Publishing Intern: Valeria di Mauro Art Director: Katherine Power Sub-editors: Pippa Duffy; John Hampshire Proofreader: Leanne Croker Additional Editing: Fran Molloy Writers: Gemma Conroy; Fran Molloy; Rachael Oku;

Southern Cross University >>> Mathematics University of Adelaide >>> Mathematical Sciences University of Sunshine Coast >>> Mathematics University of Sydney >>> Mathematics University of Tasmania >>> Mathematics >>> Science and Mathematics Western Sydney University >>> Mathematical Science

Ben Skuse; Cherese Sonkkila; Chloe Nadine Walker.

Interns: Rockwell McGellin; Alyssa De Falco; Nathan Misfud; Iliana-Victoria Grosse-Buening EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING OFFICES: 100 Harris Street, Pyrmont, Sydney, Australia Email: info@refractionmedia.com.au Advertising enquiries: contact Karen Taylor-Brown at karen@refractionmedia.com.au or 612 9188 5459 Postal address: PO Box 38, Strawberry Hills NSW 2012 Sydney, Australia Web edition + more: CareerswithSTEM.com

You can solve tomorrow’s problems.

The world’s biggest scientific, logistical, medical and even social problems will be solved with maths and science. Develop the skills to find answers to the big CRICOS No. 00213J

questions, and discover a world of opportunities with Maths & Science at QUT.

qut.edu.au/solving-problems 33

{Careers with Maths}

n t h o e s m h t i n a d M We asked more than 100 high-school students what they thought about the numbers game

Here’s what they had to say

I enjoy learning new , and exciting patterns wh ich apply to the s. world in unusua l form

How can maths be creative?

zger Joshua Met

it is I enjoy maths when we d an understa ndable ce. are going at a fa ir pa I don’t enjoy maths when we don’t spend ain enough time on cert ore pa rts and then the m er difficu lt stuf f is ha rd to understa nd.

David Koseff, Year 11

What do yo you like ab u/don’t out maths?

How will the maths you’re learning now be used in the real world? we use ths, where a m l a r e ohol n I do ge t, blood a lc of s e r e t in , x ta s. A lot un its li ke g dista nce in p p o t s d licable levels a n a re so app n r a le e w the th ings he rea l world. to t ear 12

I like the fact that there are clear rules that can be applied to any equation – no matter how complex. Theoretical mathematics is also fun. Levi R, Year 11

,Y Zac Wiesel

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QUIZ: WHAT’S YOUR NUMBER?

CareerswithSTEM.com/ quiz

Samuel Kantor, Year 12

, Year 11

f the hs is one o t a m , n io g iven In my opin s. You a re t c je b u s e iv ols to solve o t most creat f o t e s ic bas r y th ing a relatively lems. You ca n do eve u las rob ating form e complex p r c . .g e , s s, to math from pure ith va riable ing w s m le b o t r p s or ca lcu la ols. by solv ing m le b o r p l-life of to solv ing rea – a ll w ith a basic set s e rea l volum , Year 12

I’d like to be using my maths skills in the future for software development. Maths provides real-world skills to become a part of the growing technological world.

I ca n le a pattern rn about s wh ich m ay help me a nd f in understa nd d cre to solve ative ways problem Ed en Co s. hen

Noa Challis, Year 11

Faculty of Science

Bachelor of Data Science and Decisions

The career s of the t

Advances in computing over the past few decades have led to an explosion in data.

This degree has been developed to meet growing demand for data scientists and data analysts.

21 century

Be a part of the industry of the future!

CRICOS Provider Code 00098G

Data Science Find out more at science.unsw.edu.au unswscience

@unswscience

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