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Mathematical Sciences

Today's math is about a lot more than number crunching. These days, career possibilities for undergraduates who major in the mathematical sciences are almost as plentiful as the equations they solve. Mathematicians, statisticians, actuaries and others with mathematical training enjoy a broad spectrum of exciting career opportunities, not only in teaching, but also in business, industry, government, the financial sector and the health care industry.

WPI's programs in the mathematical sciences combine a strong focus on applications with the benefits of project-based education. Members of our energetic, visionary faculty help students explore how their skills can be applied to a wide range of interesting problems. Interdisciplinary and industrial projects offer students a challenging research experience with real-world applications.

With this experience under their belts, WPI graduates might help determine the efficacy of new cancer treatments, use mathematical models to determine the best allocation of investment resources, develop computational models on supercomputers that improve aircraft design, or help protect the environment by creating models that track the flow of contaminants in aquifers.

Programs

The Mathematical Sciences Department offers the bachelor of science degree in two areas: mathematical sciences and actuarial mathematics. Students who choose the mathematical sciences major may outline their own programs or focus their course and project work in one of four suggested areas of specialization: computational and applied analysis, discrete mathematics, operations research, and statistics/probability.

Professionals in computational and applied analysis develop mathematical models of continuous phenomena in the physical or biological sciences. They apply appropriate computational tools and interpret the results in light of experimental evidence, often working as part of a team of scientists and engineers. Likewise, discrete mathematicians solve problems involving discrete phenomena in a wide range of disciplines, from ecology to cryptography and computer science. Those in operations research use mathematical methods to determine the optimal solutions to problems facing business, industry and government. Statisticians develop models of random phenomena that point the way to effective strategies for decision making in the face of uncertainty. Because mathematical sciences majors must become familiar with modern computational modeling tools and applications, they gain a solid background in computers and a firm foundation in science and engineering.

Actuaries provide financial evaluations of risk that help professionals in the insurance and finance industries, and many in large corporations and government agencies make strategic management decisions. Fellowship in the Society of Actuaries (SOA) or the Casualty Actuarial Society (achieved by passing a series of examinations) is the most widely accepted standard of professional qualification to practice as an actuary. WPI's program enables students to take the first steps toward preparing for these exams and introduces these majors to the fundamentals of business and economics.

The department's interdisciplinary approach to education and the availability of specialty courses early in a student's career help bridge the gap between mathematics and other fields of study. For example, a student may take a section of calculus that is tied to a section of physics, with the professors in the two courses concurrently covering a topic and showing how it relates to each discipline. This helps students see how mathematics theory is put into practice in science and engineering as they build a solid foundation for further study in the mathematical sciences or for a career.

Projects

Major Projects in mathematical sciences and actuarial mathematics enable students to experience the kinds of problem solving they will engage in as professionals. They also provide unique opportunities for students to work closely with faculty--sometimes collaborating on cutting-edge research. Often, projects are completed for sponsors in corporations, government agencies and other organizations that care about and use the results. Students who choose the mathematical sciences major usually carry out projects in their chosen specialty. Actuarial mathematics majors typically conduct projects with regional insurance and finance companies, obtaining valuable introductions to professional practice as well as access to potential future employers.

Some recent project topics:

• Finite element simulation in plasticity (Morgan Construction)
• ODE toolkit: Web-based software for solving ordinary differential equations (Compaq)
• Evaluation of automobile insurance cession strategies
• Molecular computation for graph theory
• Stochastic models in finance
• Pattern formation in biological systems
• Strategies to improve decision making in casualty insurance (Premier Insurance)
• Risk measure analysis for portfolio management
• Complex Permittivity Reconstruction with Neural Networks (The Ferrite Company)

Facilities

Textbooks and fertile minds are not the only resources available to WPI mathematical sciences majors. Students are encouraged to use the department's excellent computer resources, which include laboratories with X terminals, high-end PCs and workstations. Students completing project work may obtain access to the incredible computational power of WPI's new IBM RS/6000 SP supercomputer. This massively parallel 32-processor computer is used to develop and implement computational models that help researchers understand such complex phenomena as fires and explosions, aerodynamic flow around aircraft, and the collapse of human arteries under plaque buildup.

The Center for Industrial Mathematics and Statistics (CIMS), established by department faculty in 1997, is a mathematical resource for addressing highly technical problems of industry and business that require sophisticated mathematical solutions. CIMS maintains partnerships with industrial sponsors that provide opportunities for students to pursue projects in a real-world setting.

Careers

Starting salaries for those who embark on careers after completing a bachelor's degree in mathematical sciences or actuarial mathematics typically range from $45,000 to $65,000 per year. Such companies as Raytheon, Polaroid, Microsoft, MITRE, Aetna, Fidelity Investments and John Hancock have hired recent WPI grads.

Degrees in mathematical sciences also provide a solid foundation for graduate study in mathematics or related disciplines in science and engineering, management, and education. WPI students have the option of pursuing a 5-year combined B.S./M.S. program. Recent graduates have pursued advanced degrees at Princeton, Stanford, Purdue and other prestigious universities.

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Last modified: November 08, 2006 15:43:10