Careers with STEM: Maths 2018 by Refraction Media

TERM 2, 2018

MATHS CAREERSwithSTEM

Lily Sernaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love of numbers p7

Meet two of CommBank's future leaders p16 Get skills in business, media and design p24

A TOOLKIT FOR CAREER SUCCESS CAREERSWITHSTEM.COM.AU

> FUTURE SOCIETY< > DEFENCE < > CREATIVE CAREERS < > FINANCE < > SOCIAL CHANGE <

Great things happen when you bring different perspectives together. Which is why at CommBank weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for the best and brightest minds to join us. With over 16 business areas to choose from, CommBank offers a vibrant, innovative environment to start your career. So if you didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t imagine yourself working at a bank, now is the time to start. To find out more visit commbank.com.au/unlikelymatch or to get a sneak peek at life at CommBank search #CommBankLife on your socials.

make a difference

s to make a positive Use data and analytic Australians’ lives difference in ever yday

Maths teaches we are t Commonwealth Bank, you to str ucture your ous opportunities custodians of an enorm thinking, clearly define we — on ati orm inf of utions. It fuels amount and devise innovative sol mers sto cu n ult llio mi 14 d un aro have riosity when you ask diffic to more intellectual cu tes ua eq ich an wh for y, da no transacting every questions and don’t take ancia l transactions maths in Careerswithstem.com. than 40% of all daily fin answer. When I studied d an ta da au r ou in iversity, ing un est at d an l oo sch h hig in Australia. So inv >> O rder copies from $1. selective r ou to al d tic 95 cri lpe is he it es t >> Access free analy tics capabiliti it was difficult at times bu e nc ste s. rsi teacher notes customers’ succes me to build resilience, pe our data assist us >> Browse 100s of e of the som g vin sol for on The insights we gain from ssi pa and a careers + more our customers want allenging problems I have in understanding what ch st mo ht rig the m to make career. and need to empower the encountered during my to lps he n, tur in is, s Th s. financia l decision Commonwealth Bank ha g ein llb we l cia an fin the e secure and en hanc many programs to help d communities. of people, businesses an improve the financia l about what stomers — from So as you start thinking CAREERSwithSTEM literacy of our young cu eer car ny ma gram to the the d pro an art Sm rt Sta l oo subjects to study sch our inI encourage you program with choices available to you, School Banking savings the in do ld cou u yo for parents and at b to think about wh Lily Serna’s love Dollarmites, and our hu of numbers ive sit po le are proud to add gib We tan lk. sta an Be e Th , fut ure to ma ke a nts Meet two of stude Com mBa ths for es. future leadersnk's orship of Careers with Ma ns difference in people’s liv spo r ou w dra Get d skills alyse an in business, ong legacy. media and The ability to harness, an the second year to this str design kes ma ta da of nts ou am ge insights from lar combined with for a fulfilling role when Emil Matsakh se that aims to ger and an organisationa l purpo Executive General Mana g. ein llb we le’s op pe e nc secure and en ha Chief Analy tics Officer ndation subjects And one of the best fou Commonwealth -fit skills for using to equip you with fut ure Bank of Australia ths. data and analy tics is ma

MATHS

TERM 2, 2018

p16

p24

A TO IT FOR COALK SUCCESRSEER

CARE ERSWITHSTEM.CO

M.AU

> FUTURE SOCIET Y< > DEFENC E < > CREATI VE CAREER S < > FINANC E < > SOCIAL CHANG E<

what is career s with st em?

Eddie Woo, teacher, YouTuber, Australian the Year Hero awardof winner @misterwootub e

The most impo ant th ing in mathematics is not rt sp ability to slow down eed, it’s the and ask the right questions. It’s ok mistakes. Actually, m to make so wonderful becaus istakes are e when you make a mistake, you le arn from it.” 3

esigning fashion, m aking mu helping p sic, eople out preventin of pover ty g disaste , rs, perform at spor ts ing bette , saving a r nimal pop from ex ti ulations nction — all of the maths as se areas a tool an us e d a langu technolo age. Scie gy, engin n c e, eering an (STEM) s d maths kills will b e p ar t o quar ters f threeof the job s you’ll b for by 20 e applyin 2 0. B y c o g mbining S X — yo u r TEM with passion, id eas and ta — yo u c a lents n create and disco that have ver caree a big imp rs act on th Read on e world. and find v ideos, qu stories a izzes and t Careers withSTE M.com.a u

>CAREERSwithMATHS<

Why study maths? You might be surprised where maths turns up and the jobs you need it for

Algebra in animation How? Animato

rs use applied maths to find unknowns from a simple set of equations. You ne ed linear algebra for actions suc h as resizing, rotating and shifting ob jects. What? Uni-level algeb ra, trigonometr y, geometr y, linear algebra and calculus I and II.

Social media + algorithms How? You know how social media ‘remembers’ what you’ve liked before and ‘suggests’ stuff, or decides what you see? That’s done by algorithms, which are all maths. What? Deep breaths, now — complex network theory, graph structure, nodes, clusters, powerlaw, weakly connected component, degree distributions, scale-free network and eccentricity.

PIXAR, WIKI, SHUTTERSTOCK

Where? Social media companies. Also anywhere that uses social media for brand and marketing.

Where? Obviously, Dis ney and Pixar. But also TV pro gramming, game development, we b animation, adver tising, research, educating and training (across lot s of fields).

How? Yes, just like on TV shows, bloodstain analysis can reveal important details about violent crimes. And it’s maths that gives forensic analysts the tools to work out those details. What? Uni-level algebra, trigonometry, geometry, statistics and calculus I and II. Where? Too many places to list — but they include police, shops, government departments, legal firms and insurance agencies.

Geometry in fashion

Data + doing good

How? International aid maths to organisations rely on to do the work out how and where a limited s most good. When there’ re amount of money to sha portant. around, this is super im statistics. What? Data analysis, and Where? Aid agencies airs offices. aff n government foreig

How? Creating patterns from designs takes maths — and so does making a range of sizes, plus working out fabric requirements and garment cost (how much they cost to make and how much you need to sell them for). What? A good grasp of high school algebra and geometry. Most fashion courses won’t have set requirements, but being comfortable with the maths makes it a whole lot easier. Where? Fashion stores and designer studios.

High-level maths in AI How?

Seen Sophia, the huma noid robot that’s appeared on TV ? Machine learning is set ting up computer systems to ‘learn’ (get better at things) by using data instead of being programmed for each task. Maths is essential to the development of better AI (ar tificial int elligence). What? Uni-level algeb ra, linear algebra, trigonometr y, statistic s and calculus. Where? Tech companie s, law offices, car manufacturers, he alth and anywhere that would benefit fro m their computer systems being able to learn from data.

PEER PERCENTAGE

We asked you make maths m what would ore en joyable: < Maths ga mes 28% < Less homewor k 19% < Less repetitiv e and more interactive 16% < Don’t m ind no t enjoyi ng maths 16% < Shor ter, ha rd er questions 6%

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Stats in forensic science

Find out more at superhero.acs.org.au 5

>CAREERSwithMATHS<

So much more to maths ‘don’t get it’, it’s time to or it ve lo u yo er th he W k about mathematics in th u yo ay w e th ge an ch

pathways then Those connections and s. ay thw pa y’ other problems, maticall hat does ‘thinking mathe tically analyse and solve cri u yo lp he nk you thi do with maths. se that have nothing to even mean? Does it ma ke tho ing lud inc on sian (at right), g numbers rna, data analyst at Atlas of a nerdy kid crunchin Se y Lil As nt nta systematic and ced accou a calculator or a strait-la s helps you to think in a ath “M s, say te. she also says it’s “for urn? Time for an upda y.” That makes sense, but wa l ica log doing someone’s tax ret e um ass And who isn’t? ly (and illogically) curious about the world”. are o wh se Many people unfortunate tho at ’ od d logic. When se who are already ‘go s well beyond systems an goe ths Ma that doing maths is for tho e lik it ing both flexibility n’t, you should avoid maths, you’re also build rn lea u yo maths, and that if you are le rib ter menta l when people say, “But I’m vity, which will be funda ati cre d an the plague. We’ve all heard get n’t do job market. down. Then there’s “I vigating your way into the na e u’r yo at maths”, and shut right t. cep con ur friends — will to a new or difficult jobseekers — you and yo w’s rro mo To it” — the default response get n’t problem-solve. y to look at maths. Do flexible thinkers who can be to ed But that’s the wrong wa ne of act mbling about maths ep trying. The very So, next time you’re gru something right away? Ke , ths ma at t jus t ur head around no — ter to bet rk or str uggling get yo wo me ho doing maths ma kes you in, bra that you’re not ing maths trains the tical concept, remember ma the ma a but at thinking. How? Do . ger preparing yourself es ma kes them stron sing your brain, but also rci exe ly on just like using your muscl see fany Hutton brain is learning to ds of amazing jobs. – Tif kin all When you do maths, the for l ing important neura connections — and build

Kickstart your maths career in world class facilities

>CAREERSwithSTEM.com.au<

Mathematics is the quantitative language of the world. It plays a vital role on the growth of science and technology, making it the fastest growing field in STEM disciplines. Our new state of the art research and teaching facilities, with internationally-recognised academic staff and groundbreaking research in a variety of topics will enable students to master quantitative problem-solving, mathematical modelling and critical thinking. Come and explore why we are the best place to study maths in Australia.* Find out more maths.anu.edu.au * Ranked #1 in Australia for Mathematics (2018 QS World University Rankings)

CRICOS# 082354F | MO_COS280673

SHUTTERSTOCK

I love that maths is all about solving puzzles”

stTVaprr daatticia esenter an and

Mathem s whiz who makes Lily Serna is a numbere to everyone maths accessibl past the common t’s so important to push ople mathematician is so pe stereotypes of what a . ns tio ita t free from lim can explore the subjec t. y rich and useful subjec ull erf Maths is a wond It’s es. zzl pu about solving I love that maths is all It just d there’s no ambiguit y. an n logical by definitio w ho in t for nd finds com makes sense and my mi black and white it is. at is like having a toolkit: Understanding maths ne eo som if , nt Atlassian Australian sof tware gia right blem, I can pull out the pro a h comes to me wit . on uti find the sol tool at the right time to ths, it’s important to ma h wit If you struggle and about building blocks, remember that it’s all r you ild bu to d the basics you need to understan step, t las the to stuck, go back knowledge. If you get g inin tra t ou ab m there. It’s practice, and go on fro y wa c ati tem sys logical and your mind to think in a r. in any caree — a skill that’s useful

Bachelor of Applied Science (Honours), University of Technology Sydney

Data Analyst, Atlassian

Data Analyst, Fairfax Media

TV Presenter, Letters and Numbers; Destination Flavour

Lily shows how to win Scissors Paper Rock using maths: ck bit.ly/ScissorsPaperRo

@SernaLily

@lilyserna_official

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Find your ! h t a p r e e r a c

e test. Choose from the th to d in m hs at m ur yo Put ion ge and follow your pass pa e th d fin , w lo be s er answ

#2 When you were younger, you dreamed of being... A: An artist B: A spy C: A pilot D: An astronaut E: A millionaire

#1 The hardest part of school is... A: Understanding algebra B: Bullies C: Waiting for school holidays D: Crushes E: Slaving away working without pay

ear #3 You overh“A a someone say, g.”lgebr is soooo borin What do you say?

#4 If you had a million dollars, what would you buy? A:

ly A: Agree wholehearted B: Tell them to be quiet “Tell me C: Change the subject. pan!” about your holiday in Ja wouldn’t have D: “Without maths we tagram. space exploration or Ins Now that’s boring.” when you'll E: Agree. The wonder l like how to learn something usefu balance taxes.

A studio for reading, wr iting and painting

B: The newest gadgets

SHUTTERSTOCK

and tech C: A one-way plane tic ket. And spend the rest on a dre am holiday. D: A robot sidekick E: Invest. In today’s ec onomy, it’s really not all that much money

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<QUIZ>

#5 The aths te a doesn’t shm ow up for cchlearss . What do you do? A: Draw on your

desk B: Hack into the teacher’s system and get next week’s test answers C: Go on your ph one or talk with yo ur friends D: Invent a robot that does the wor k for you E: Calculate how much of your tim e is being wasted. Invo ice the teacher

answers! time to check your answers and tally your colours. If you got...

MOSTLY A’s MATHS+MEDIA&MARKETING p24 Try as you might to avoid it, maths is going to help you in your creative career. You could be devising social strategy and crunching numbers of successful results, or ensuring your next great creative idea follows market trends.

#6 What’s your favourite school subject?

MOSTLY B’s

A: English

MATHS+WORK IN DEFENCE p22

B: PDHPE

Maths and defence go hand-in-hand with careers in cybersecurity or strategy. You’ll be using maths and tech to innovate the ways we protect our borders and defend from new-age cyberthreats.

C: Geography D: Science E: Maths

MOSTLY C’s MATHS+BE GLOBAL p18 &CAREERS WITH ECONOMICS flip p3 Want to travel the world and get paid for it? You can, with a career in maths. You could work in conservation or humanitarianism by tracking and managing population health and wellbeing. Or find your place in economics, or even politics!

MOSTLY D’s MATHS+FUTURE SOCIETY p10 You’ll be using maths to invent new ways to advance our technological capabilities. Will you invent a robot companion, or market a new social network to rival Facebook and Instagram? The future will be decided by you.

#7 What are you doing this weekend? A: Scrolling through Instagram

MOSTLY E’s

B: Playing sports C: Meeting up with friends

MATHS+FINANCE FUTURES p14

D: Learning to code

You’ve got the finance savvy needed to make businesses boom. With maths, you could be reinventing the way we pay through cryptocurrencies, or managing a successful start-up.

E: Working a part-time job

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<MATHS+FUTURE SOCIETY>

Forging the future

ect, but its use in nearly Maths is an ancient subj chnology means skills every piece of modern te . Get amongst it in this area will be huge

of un likely careers; aths pops up in all sorts me designers, even architects, computer-ga their day-to-day jobs. animators use maths in re established roles. And those are just the mo ths, s rely more heavily on ma Many emerging tech job e our ap sh to already starting and these occupations are society in dramatic ways. cs self-driving cars to roboti From engineers building d an I) (A ial intelligence experts developing artific the at you want to buy next, wh t Amazon trying to predic ery ev ger big g r lives is gettin role algorithms play in ou t the industry experts say tha of — day. A majority — 54% sful ces suc be next 12 months to skill most needed in the ine ch ma analy tics, with in your career is big data ng far behind at 44%. The thi t no learning and AI skills m fir a ed ne mon? They all these skills all have in com Ben McCluskey – . ths understanding of ma “Pretty much every job has a little bit of maths in it” – Peter Ferrari, Year 11, Lambton High School

maths+ future society Study options

Bachelor of Science (Environmen t and Sustainability), Universit y of Sout hern Queensland: bit.ly/USQBofS Bachelor of Technology (Renewa ble Energy Systems), The Universit y of Newcastle: bit.ly/UNBofTRES Diploma of Conservation and Land Management, OTEN TAFE NSW: bit.ly/TAFEDipCons

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Muster/ Facebook: facebook.com/Startup Twit ter: @longevity_app #PressforProgress (for women’s empowerment)

Hot jobs

Financial analyst: $49,797–$99,169 Management accountant: $57,803–$102,122 ,526 Investment banker: $58,723–$193 ,772 $118 637– $49, t: omis Econ *Salary ranges from Payscale.com

smart movaepath

rged Amy Shi-Nash has fo as CommBank’s er re ca to an amazing oup Data Science General Manager, Gr w era – the fourth e are moving into a ne ery thing we know and industrial revolution. Ev efined by ing challenged and red everything we do is be and ts in machine learning data and advancemen our What will this mean for artificial intelligence. future? lls will you need for the workforce and what ski ated to of future jobs are estim Seventy-five per cent rrently t only 16% of people cu require STEM skills, bu eering h as science, tech, engin employed in areas suc women. It’s a big opportunity for and maths are female. nager mmBank’s General Ma Meet Amy Shi-Nash, Co r ee with an interesting car of Group Data Science, rs in ste Ma a g, nin mi ta D in da histor y. Amy has a Ph patents an MBA, holds multiple Ar tificial Intelligence, ence rs’ international experi and has nearly 20 yea ough petitive advantage thr creating value and com bination d innovation. It’s a com data-driven cultures an rship ustry know-how, leade of scientific depth, ind acumen. skills and commercial mework tific thinking and a fra “Having skills in scien for many going to be important for problem-solving is y. in the future,” says Am careers and industries eady starting to appear Inherent biases are alr s, chine learning algorithm in decisions made by ma ed olv have a diverse team inv and now is the time to thms. in creating these algori will ommendation system For example, a job rec or men for data science most likely recommend d of women. engineering roles ahea scious of identifying the “We need to be more con use assumptions of how we bias and challenging the ed ne s,” she says. “We also data to make decision ral and ltu cu e, ag er, nd ge of more diversity in terms d fessional disciplines an social backgrounds, pro industry experience. subjects r time to study STEM “It couldn’t be a bette y for all r opportunities, especi to expand future caree women,” she adds. ration lp shape the next gene Amy’s determined to he ure fut s in data science. The of great, diverse mind is ry sto y’s Am if t bu n, of work may be unknow is EM future of women in ST anything to go by, the ckwell already here. – Eliza Bro

Masters in AI, Nanjing University, China

MBA, University of Reading, UK Founding member and Chief Data Science Officer of DataSpark

PhD in data mining from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University General Manager, Group Data Science at Commbank

LAUREN TROMPP

>CAREERSwithMATHS<

s ’ w o r r o m To leaders essfully kicked off their James and Sophia succ and analytics through careers in data science ram CommBank’s grad prog

scientist James Ross is a data ot and ping-pong hot sh

entist doesn’t provide aying you’re a data sci s at you do,” says Jame much information on wh u’d Yo . nk entist at CommBa Ross, associate data sci siness ds his time solving bu en never know James sp nis ten le tab l front or playing problems on the digita tance. in his lunch hour, for ins using in ping-pong, James is off When he’s not facing d en Sp ’s prove CommBank his knack for data to im cks your the bank’s app that tra on Tracker. It’s a feature ort. rep ly nth and delivers a mo spending by category the us es omenal as it giv “Spend Tracker is phen ed spending,” he says. orm inf chance to encourage ’re mics behind it is that we “The behavioural econo . For set nd mi long-term planning attempting to evoke a ir the d an rst de lping a person un example, we may be he to d an nth mo over $100 each daily coffee adds up to The uld curb this spending. sho y ask themselves if the if eck ch to s t our hypothese great thing is we can tes g any effect. Spend Tracker is havin lping ople’s lives better by he pe g “I believe in makin g.” din manage their spen everyday Australians find his gram helped James to pro d CommBank’s gra with ls de mo t network of role niche, giving him a vas his t tes d allowing him to successful careers, an as of the organisation. are t passions in dif feren t he e easily for James, bu A passion for maths cam can ce en sci ta and working in da finds studying maths or g, din co t en st of his day is sp be vastly dif ferent. Mo ical hn tec d an rst earchers to unde collaborating with res se cau be ths ma e everyone can lov issues. “I believe that in ths ma the d an the classroom the maths you know in ll to have ferent. It’s a universal ski dif the real world are so ckwell Bro za Eli – to any career.” and you can take maths

“S

Bachelor of Science (Advanced Mathematics), UNSW tics Masters in Mathema by research, UNSW (current)

>CAREERSwithSTEM.com.au<

Gr ad progr am, CommBank Associate data scientist, CommBank

finance guru s’ Uni student Jett Hobb is love of numbers opening doors to the career of his dreams sted in have always been intere w numbers ho e lov I se maths, becau tcome and not can tell you an exact ou retation of it. just someone’s interp statistical My area of interest is ce, as they go mathematics and finan be used to hand in hand. Maths can ance, such as describe patterns in fin y changing modelling the constantl g what could economy and predictin happen in the future. thing for The most challenging Year 9 in l oo sch g vin me was lea w concepts and having to learn ne e. But the in a short space of tim cquarie Ma at e ntr Ce Indigenous achieve me d lpe he s ha University impossible. things I thought were h the When I got involved wit gram pro p shi ern int Indigenous was to am dre my , ers CareerTrack nk of Australia. work at the Reser ve Ba y out of reach, I thought this was totall within a month! but I got my dream job ing you set You can achieve anyth is out of reach. your mind to – nothing the work. Many Just be patient and do tic support universities have fantas us students, programs for Indigeno for help. so don’t be afraid to ask

Sophia Guo found her career in Analytics perfect strategy

here was no uncer tainty in Sophia Guo’s strength s at school. “I always en joyed subjects where there was a challenge: proble m-solving and anything that involved logical thinking !” she says. Turning tha t into a degree was easy – she did a Bachelor of Comm erce/ Science majoring in fin ance and statistics at UNSW. Narrowing those skills down to a single caree r? Not so simple. She spied the opportunit y on campu s to join CommBank’s grad pro gram, which gave her a taste for workplace life, applying her strengths in dif fer ent departments and unde rstanding how the bank works as a whole. She got to try a few dif ferent roles, wo rking in areas such as credit ris k to make sure custome rs weren’t taking on loans they couldn’t afford. Sh e says it was a great way to me et people, make new frie nds and find mentors with inspiring career trajec tories. “I think the grad progra m is a really great opportunit y for anyon e who’s unsure where they want to go. CommBank has so many opportunities so it was a good career path for me,” she says. Sophia’s now using the problem-solving skills she loved in maths, along with communication ski lls, in her role in analy tics strate gy. Her team is responsi ble for coordinating data analy tic activities across CommBank, both analy sis of internal data (pr ocess efficiency, cost trends, etc) and customer data (to assist customers with their financial wellbein g). “Maths is more than jus t getting the answers correct, there are a lot of skills in it for future roles – not just maths or data and analy tic-related car eers. You could work in strate gy like me!” – Eliza Bro ckwell Bachelor of Commerce and Science, UNSW

Risk Intern, CommBank

Analyst, Economic Capital Str ategy, CommBank

LAUREN TROMPP

Risk Gr aduate, CommBank Senior Analyst, Analytics Str ategy & Advisory, CommBank

Barrenjoey High School, Sydney

Bachelor of Applied Studies, an Fin ce & Actuarialrsity Macquarie Unive

Intern, Reserve Bank of Austr alia

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<MATHS+BE GLOBAL>

Global game changer Finance isn’t all about the money! Here’s how you can support the community, too

rowing up in the country town of Tamworth, Benson Saulo never thought banking would be the right job for him. “You didn’t see Aboriginal people working in the bank,” says Benson. “I didn’t perceive it to be my world.” Benson was even considering dropping maths until his Year 10 teacher suggested he apply for a traineeship at ANZ bank. He soon discovered that banking careers are much more diverse than he’d realised. Senior maths was essential for his traineeship, which included a Certificate III in Financial Services. After high school, Benson worked in ANZ’s foreign-exchange services, which, he says, “planted the first idea about being a global citizen”. In fact, Benson is so focused on global responsibility that he spoke at the United Nations General Assembly as Australian Youth Representative in 2011. As if that wasn’t impressive enough, he also founded the National Indigenous Youth Leadership Academy, which develops youth-led social action campaigns. Benson had never considered finance a tool for social good, until he attended a global economics conference in Switzerland in 2015 called the St Gallen Symposium There, he had a stroke of genius: what tools could help people bounce back from financial hardship? Working with financial services provider Good Shepherd Microfinance, he helped bring together 10 companies to promote financial inclusion in the community. Benson now works at one of those organisations — Australian Unity, a provider of national healthcare, financial services and aged care — where he heads Community Strategy. The key to his success? Financial expertise, which helps him track spending in areas that support diversity. Benson says maths helps him analyse and understand the data, showing how the business is performing and how people’s lives are impacted. Benson finds it incredibly rewarding using finance as “a tool to uplift and build capabilities in people”. – Larissa Fedunik-Hofman

>CAREERSwithSTEM.com.au<

maths+ be global Study options

ANZ Indigenous traineeships bit.ly/ANZtrainees Certificate II in Business, TAFE NSW bit.ly/TAFECer t2 Bachelor of Banking and Finance, Monash Universit y bit.ly/MonashB F Bachelor of Commerce (Finance and Marketing), Curtin Universit y bit.ly/Cur tinCommerce

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Twit ter: @bensonsaulo YouTube: Benson Saulo ‘Leaders of the future’ at Young Minds 2013 bit.ly/BensonYoungMinds

Hot jobs

Banking consultant: $44,300 –$69 ,000 Community relations manager: $53,500 –$121,400 Strategy manager: $74,500 –$18 4,000 *Salary ranges from Payscale.com

nsland the university of quee

s n io t p o r u o y y Multipl land e University of Queens Studying maths at Th teway to great adventures just might be your ga

per mining to lecturing in China, cop rom teaching in London iversity of in Queensland, The Un in Chile or beef farming ths has opened the ma s say nco ate Dr Andrew Bli du gra ) (UQ d,” nd sla een Qu ces I never knew existe es. “I’ve ended up in pla tur ven ad ” ny as. ma rse to or ove do as and live to take my family overse le ab en be e at s “I’v tic s. ma say the he urs) in Ma chelor of Science (Hono After completing his Ba ) and PhD (in graph ths ma (in on loma in Educati Dip his did d w dre An , UQ ch being done at UQ, an azing variet y of resear am an ’s ere “Th ). s. ory say the as well,” he ationships with industry they’ve forged strong rel analysis and project ess sin bu o maths skills int Andrew channelled his nsferable. Maths gives cy skills are really tra management. “Numera ent walks of life.” with people from differ me confidence in dealing manager at OBE ing and improvement Now the business plann Andrew Australian organic beef, Organic, a supplier of tainability. sus h wit in healthy living is mixing his interests r resources t the efficient use of ou “Sustainability is abou t with mining . Whether I’m doing tha and minimising waste , I’m always ths ma h in Australia, wit trucks in Chile or beef rne Bu sty Cri – s more efficient.” working to make thing

UQ/OBE ORGANIC

TO GET THERE: uq.edu.au

>CAREERSwithMATHS<

qut

hampionhead-on Ecosyssotlveingmrec al-world problems

Kate Helmstedt is

QUT/AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC DIVISION

tudying at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) means working on real-world problems, such as the mice, rats, sheep, cats, rabbits, pigs and even reindeer that have invaded subantarctic islands. These pests destroy the islands’ fragile environment and threaten native penguins, seals and other unique species. But what to do about it? “If there is a limited bucket of money and all these different options,” explains Dr Kate Helmstedt, a QUT mathematician and lecturer, “should we tackle cats on all the islands? Or rats on a couple of islands?” Kate helps the Australian Antarctic Division get the best bang for their buck. “We model the islands’ ecosystems, then make changes to the system and see how those are likely to play out in terms of biodiversity and species populations,” she says. Bringing this kind of question-driven, real-world problem into the classroom is a big part of studying at QUT. “It feels good to be able to do something I love and help improve the environment.” – Cristy Burne

TO GET THERE: qut.edu.au

THE WORLD WORKS BETTER WITH

MATHS QUT Maths

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CRICOS No. 00213J

a university for the real world

<MATHS+BE GLOBAL>

what's up, doc? Combining maths with biology, Brody Foy helps doctors better understand disease recipient of matics graduate and the rody Foy, a QUT mathe like to bust odes Scholarship, would Queensland’s 2015 Rh ing a maths nceptions about study one of the biggest misco “Maths skills le. yab plo s are not ver y em degree: that graduate as some of the and are regularly rated are right on the pulse r of an artificial s,” says the co-founde most valuable skill set tancy. intelligence (AI) consul tational biology maths skills to compu his es Brody’s PhD appli data from CT scans to ction testing. He uses — specifically, lung fun and easily allows you ls of lungs. “This rapidly ical create computer mode ldn’t carry out in a clin l’ patient, which you cou of ead spr to do tests on a ‘virtua the modelling e tests usually involve at wh y ctl exa set ting,” Brody says. Th t s to find ou cer. “I’ve visited hospital m in the lp he a disease such as can can research answers to, so that my questions doctors need ,” he says. the best way possible tancy that uses data ded a non-profit consul -fo y Brody has also co un ms in healthcare, energ learning to solve proble ial soc do to analysis and machine gy of technolo s all about the power and social ser vices. “It’ an sa Fedunik-Hofm good,” he says. – Laris

Bachelor of Mathematics (Hons), QUT

PhD (Mathematics), New College, University of Oxford, uk

Co-founder and chief technology officer, Rhodes Artificial Intelligence Lab

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Strategy: r e e r a c e c advan meracy and knowledge Arming yourself with nu ccess could be key to career su

he Australian Navy’s maritime capability relies on acquisitions in fleet, firepower and auxiliaries — so, what are the most efficient combinations it can buy, given Australia’s naval missions and fields of operation? Modelling options for the Australian Defence Force, and answering mingmei teo a battalion of ‘what-if’ questions, is rewarding work for maths-minded types. Mingmei Teo, a maritime capability analyst with Defence Science and Technology (DST) in Sydney, says a love of problem-solving led to her career that mixes maths and the military. “I wanted a career where I could make an impact or contribute to society,” says Mingmei. So, she completed her doctorate in applied mathematics at The University of Adelaide, with a focus on infectious disease, before moving into her current role assisting the Royal Australian Navy with acquisitions. Mingmei says she didn’t begin to see the huge potential of real-world applications her mathematical studies had until around the second year of her bachelor degree. In maths careers you need to communicate mathematical theories, calculations and outcomes. “You have to translate the problem that a client might have into algorithms, equations or a mathematical model,” says Mingmei, “and then be able to explain your results in a way they can understand.” – Natalie Filatoff

maths+ defence Study options

Bachelor of Science (Professional) majoring in Applied Mathematics, Swinburne bit.ly/BachPro Bachelor of Mathematical and Computer Sciences, The University of Adelaide bit.ly/MathCompSci Bachelor of Advanced Science/Engineering (Honours), dual degree, UNSW bit.ly/SciEngdual Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering (Honours), Monash bit.ly/AeroMonash Get gap-year training, funds to help you through uni and explore more options at: bit.ly/STEMdefence

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Adam Spencer is on

ths so much as dam Spencer loved ma cher why the tea a kid that he asked his tables – he es tim 12 class had to stop at the and 15! At 14 , 13 on to was pretty keen to go d law, but an s art in led uni, he originally enrol and he g on str too the pull of maths proved st Class Fir h wit ng ati switched majors, gradu s. tic ma Honours in Pure Mathe ian and presenter began ed com a as eer car His ple J’s national stand-up in 1996, when he won Tri rs, Within a couple of yea comedy competition.

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h J’s breakfast show wit Adam was hosting Triple n. rso de An l Wi edian his good mate, fellow com a ton of radio and TV d ste ho ce sin s Adam ha ence shows Quantum programs, including sci Karl fellow science fan Dr and Sleek Geeks, with s thi ild bu l wil aticians Kruszelnicki. “Mathem omputer coding, big “C . am Ad s centur y,” say intelligence… the list data analysis, artificial want to be one of the goes on and on. If you , do maths.” architect s of our future an – Larissa Fedunik-Hofm

use the code 'stem' to Get a discount on adam's book The Number Games bit.ly/AdamMaths

Indigenous influence

maggie mcgowan

business aggie McGowan is the ose, the Go ie gp Ma brain behind l prints rfu ou col ing fashion label sport nous ige Ind m fro ns and original desig ritory. Ter ern rth No e, artists in Katherin t en ym plo em ate The desire to cre the s wa s ist art se opportunities for the er aft , ose Go ie gp Ma inspiration behind for NA AJA yer law il civ a as e Maggie spent tim Much ginal Justice Agency). (North Australian Abori m fro ing mm legal issues ste of her work dealt with s an ali str Au . Indigenous the rigid welfare system taken away from them, hts rig c had their economi says. rtunities offered, she with few creative oppo re to ctu tru ras vides the inf Maggie’s business pro ible ess acc an original art in share and celebrate Ab d an c mi involved econo way, giving the artist s s, opportunities. To do thi nt me personal develop fit pro t ed to work ou she needs maths. “I ne d the w much stuff costs, fin ho , ng margins, budgeti s. say she ,” on t out producti best resources and cos lls ski EM combining ST She’s a big believer in s on, to create unique job ssi pa with your absolute e “W n. hio fas d as maths an that bridge areas such lls ski EM ST t! le we can ge need all the STEM peop rld, understanding the wo ly ful to y are so necessar ell ckw Bro za Eli business.” – and running any sor t of

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LERY CAR RIAGE

Bachelor of Arts/Law, University of Melbourne

samara billy wears magpie goose prints by bede tungatalum and dora diaguma

Founder, Magpie Goose

Civil lawyer, NAAJA

Bio brilliance

utlery Carriage is saving the planet, one meal at a time. It’s an eco-fr iendly knife-and-fork carry case designed by Lauren D’Aprano, busin ess and entrepreneurship graduate from RMIT. The idea for Cutlery Ca rriage came about in hig h school; Lauren tried to pinch her mum’s silverw are for her delicious homema de lunches, but Mum wa sn’t having a bar of it. Instea d, she resorted to plasti c cutlery – meaning plastic knive s, forks and bags going in the bin every day. “I found tha t the continued use of plastic cutlery can lead to ser ious health issues, and the plastic bags I was binning we re not biodegradable,” she says. Now Lauren uses maths to help push her plane tpreser ving agenda. “It’ s been really cool and useful to put maths into practice. You can implement ma ths and accounting skills to un derstand microeconomi cs, pricing, margins and to balance your books.” – Eliza Bro ckwell Bachelor of Bus ss (Entrepreneurshipine ), RMIT

Founder, Cutlery Carriage

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.com.au EM T S h it w s r ee r a C t a s Browse 1000s of degree

your maths + X career starts here! Discover your dream study pathway by matching maths with your passions MATHS + FUTURE SOCIETY

artificial intelligence, natural language processing, robotics, optimisation, automation… Australian National University >> Advanced Computing (Research and Development) Charles Darwin University >> Computer Science/ Information Technology Deakin University >> Commerce/Information Systems Edith Cowan University >> Engineering (Mechatronics) Federation University >> Information Technology (Big Data and Analytics) Flinders University >> Business (Innovation and Enterprise) Griffith University >> Engineering Technology (Electronic and Computer Engineering) James Cook University >> Business (Business Intelligence and Information Systems) Macquarie University >> Engineering/Commerce (Mechatronic Engineering) Queensland University of Technology >> Games and Interactive Environments/Mathematics >> Mathematics (Applied and Computational Mathematics) RMIT >> Engineering/Business (Electrical and Electronic Engineering/Entrepreneurship) Swinburne University of Technology >> Computer Science (Games Development) University of Adelaide >> Mathematical Sciences >> Mathematical Science (Advanced) University of Melbourne >> Science (Mechatronics Systems) University of New England >> Commerce (Financial Plannning)

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University of New South Wales >> Software Engineering (Artificial Intelligence) University of Newcastle >> Computer Systems Engineering/Mathematics University of Queensland >> Computer Science (Machine Learning) >> Mathematics (Applied & Computational Mathematics) >> Mathematics/Science University of Sydney >> Advanced Computing/Science (Quantitative Life Sciences) University of Technology Sydney >> Computing Science (Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence) >> Computing Science (Mathematical Analysis) University of Wollongong >> Computer Science (Big Data) Victoria University >> Engineering (Electrical and Sports Engineering) Western Sydney University >> Engineering (Robotics and Mechatronics) TAFE NSW >> Engineering — Technical (Mechatronics) >> Database Design and Development TAFE WA >> Engineering — Technical (Mechatronics)

MATHS + FINANCE commerce, accounting, business, finance…

Australian Catholic University >> Accounting and Finance >> Commerce Bond University >> Commerce (Big Data) Charles Darwin University >> Accounting Curtin University >> Commerce (Accounting Technologies) >> Commerce (Economics/ International Relations) Federation University >> Commerce (Economics and Finance)

James Cook University >> Business (Banking and Finance) Monash University >> Business (Economics and Business Strategy) >> Business (Taxation) >> Business (Business Statistics) Queensland University of Technology >> Business/Mathematics RMIT >> Business (Financial Planning/Accountancy) >> Business (Economics and Finance) Torrens University >> Financial Services (Financial Planning) University of Adelaide >> Finance (International) University of Canberra >> Applied Economics/ Commerce University of Newcastle >> Commerce/Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Finance) University of Notre Dame >> Financial Planning University of Queensland >> Financial Mathematics >> Mathematics/Commerce >> Mathematics/Economics University of South Australia >> Business (Economics, Finance and Trade) >> Business (Information Strategy and Management) University of Sydney >> Economics (Financial Economics) >> Advanced Computing/ Commerce (Computational Data Science) >> Science (Financial Mathematics and Statistics) University of the Sunshine Coast >> Commerce (Accounting) >> Laws/Commerce (Financial Planning) University of Wollongong >> Mathematics and Finance (Quantitative and Computational Trading) Victoria University >> Commerce (Applied Finance)/Laws

Western Sydney University >> Information and Communications Technology/Business (Applied Finance) TAFE NSW >> Applied Commerce TAFE QLD >> Accounting TAFE SA >> Financial Planning TAFE TAS >> Accounting TAFE WA >> Accounting TAFE VIC >> Finance and Mortgage Broking Management >> Accounting

MATHs + MEDIA & MARKETING

data mining, data science, analytics, marketing, digital marketing… Australian National University >> Applied Data Analytics Curtin University >> Commerce (Economics/Marketing) Griffith University >> Science (Applied Mathematics)/Data Science La Trobe University >> Commerce/Computer Science Macquarie University >> Engineering/Commerce (Marketing) >> Business Leadership/ Commerce (Marketing) >> Commerce/Science (Web Design and Development) >> Business Analytics Monash University >> Computer Science (Data Science) >> Business and Media Communication Murdoch University >> Science (Mathematics and Statistics) RMIT >> Analytics Southern Cross University >> Digital Business

Swinburne University of Technology >> Business Information Systems (Data Analytics) University of Canberra >> Business Informatics University of Melbourne >> Science (Data Science) >> Science (Mathematics and Statistics) University of New England >> Business/Economics (Management and Marketing/Economics) University of New South Wales >> Data Science and Decisions (Business Data Science) University of Notre Dame >> Commerce/Arts (Marketing/Mathematics) University of Queensland >> Mathematics (Data Analytics and Operations Research) >> Statistics University of Southern Queensland >> Information Technology (Data Analytics) University of Technology Sydney >> Science (Games Development) >> Science/Analytics (Consumer Analytics) University of Western Australia >> Science (Data Science) University of Wollongong >> Communication and Media/ Economics and Finance Western Sydney University >> Data Science

MATHs + DEFENCE defence degrees, cybersecurity, applied maths…

Charles Darwin University >> Network Engineering

Edith Cowan University >> Science (Security) >> Counter Terrorism Security and Intelligence (Cyber Security) Flinders University >> Information Technology (Network and Cybersecurity Systems) Griffith University >> Engineering/Aviation Macquarie University >> Business Analytics/Security Studies Murdoch University >> C yber Security and Forensics >> Science (Internetworking and Network Security) Swinburne University of Technology >> Aviation/Business (Entrepreneurship and Innovation) University of Adelaide >> Computing Science (Cyber Security) University of New South Wales >> Computing and Cyber Security >> Technology (Aviation) University of Queensland >> Computer Science (Cyber Security) >> Mathematics (Applied Mathematics) >> Applied Mathematics University of South Australia >> Mathematics (Industrial and Applied Mathematics) University of Southern Queensland >> Information Technology Networking and Security >> Science (Applied Mathematics and Statistics) University of Tasmania >> Surveying and Spatial Sciences

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 degrees in science, tech, engineering and maths at CareerswithSTEM.com.au Careers with Maths/Economics 2018 is a publication of Refraction Media. Copyright © 2018 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 1 May 2018. Printed in Australia by BlueStar Web. Subscribe and order copies: CareerswithSTEM.com.au

University of Wollongong >> Computer Science (Cyber Security) TAFE ACT >> Information Technology Networking TAFE NSW >> Aeroskills (Mechanical) TAFE QLD >> Information Technology Systems Administration >> Information Technology Networking TAFE SA >> Information Technology Networking/Information Technology (Network and Cybersecurity Systems) TAFE TAS >> Information Technology Networking TAFE WA >> Security and Risk Management >> Network Security TAFE VIC >> Cyber Security

MATHS + GLOBAL CHANGE

actuarial studies, economics, conservation, law… Australian National University >> Mathematical Sciences Bond University >> Actuarial Science/Laws Charles Sturt University >> Science (Mathematics) Curtin University >> Science/Commerce (Applied Geology/Finance) Deakin University >> Commerce/Law Federation University >> Mathematical Sciences/ Education La Trobe University >> Politics, Philosophy and Economics

Cover images: Quentin Jones/Lauren Trompp Produced & published by Refraction Media CEO and Publisher: Karen Taylor-Brown Head of Content: Heather Catchpole Digital Producer: Eliza Brockwell Partnerships Manager: Natalie Rayment Publishing Intern: Reinaldi Lasmana Art Director: Katherine Power Contributing Editor: Pippa Duffy Sub-editor: Trudie McConnochie Writers: Eliza Brockwell, Cristy Burne, Larissa Fedunik-Hofman, Natalie Filatoff, Tiffany Hutton, Ben McCluskey, Chloe Walker

Macquarie University >> Science — Global Challenges (Statistics) Monash University >> Commerce and Global Studies Queensland University of Technology >> Mathematics (Decision Science) >> Mathematics (Statistical Science) Swinburne University of Technology >> Laws/Science (Applied Mathematics) University of Canberra >> Applied Politics/Economics and International Relations University of Melbourne >> Commerce (Actuarial Studies) University of New England >> Agricultural Economics University of New South Wales >> Actuarial Studies/Science (Advanced Mathematics) University of Newcastle >> Civil Engineering/ Mathematics University of Queensland >> Economics (Natural Resources and Environment) >> Mathematics/Ecology (Natural Resources and Environment) University of Tasmania >> Economics (Environmental and Resource Economics) >> Marine and Antarctic Science (Modelling and Technology) University of Western Australia >> Science (Mathematics and Statistics) Western Sydney University >> Science (Mathematical Science) TAFE ACT >> Spatial Information Services

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.au ISSN 2209-1076

>CAREERSwithMATHS<

s h t a p y d u t s Fast iversity careers that bypass un hs at m to s th pa of ty There are plen

f you’re not sure you’re up for a maths-focused uni degree, don’t worry. There are other ways to get into great careers that are in high demand. After all, maths isn’t just about geniuses — it’s also about people applying reasoning and skills to real-life situations. Here are some career directions to consider.

< aAncdcofuinnting ance < Lab rat

Like the idea of working in forensics? You can do a Certificate in Pathology (Collection or Assistance) or a Diploma of Laboratory Technology at TAFE NSW. (This could also help you get into uni if you decide that’s your goal.)

Engineering < and mechanics You can progress

from a cer tificate or diploma to an Assoc iate Degree of Applied Engineering (TA FE NSW). And the Diploma and Advan ced Diplomas can give you advanced standing for uni if you choose that path down the track.

Grand designs

Although most architecture degrees have dizzyingly high entrance marks, it’s not the only way to create buildings for a living. The Diploma of Building Design has no entrance requirements and can lead either straight into a career or into potentially pursuing an architecture degree afterwards.

Think you need all the maths to work in this field? That’s not the case. You can get qualified in this area to degree level (TAFE NSW’s Bachelor of Applied Commerce majoring in financial planning) without needing to test in the top tier at high school.

Travel with TAareFnEationally

s E course your Most TAF can take u d, so yo e is n ntr y. g u o o c c re the n all over o ti a c fi li a qu

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ick

The mainlan d states all ha ve TAFEs, as does Tasm ania (TasTAF E). In the Nor thern Te rritor y, Charl es Dar win Universit y, w hich has lots of campuses, provides TA FE courses. In the ACT, the Canberra Inst itute of Tech no logy is the main prov ider of TAFE courses.

Tech, tool and tricks

the internet Big data, analy tics and rowing areas of things (IoT) are fast-g pick up skills in which the abilit y to Try quickly can be a benefit. short ’s FE TA te titu Chisholm Ins information courses in IoT or learn ce or technology, data scien fany Hutton Tif – . ine onl business