What can I do with a degree in mathematics? Do I need to get a masters or doctoral degree in order to embark on a particular career path?
You can find discussions of these questions, profiles of early career and established mathematicians, and many other career resources in the links below. Make sure to check these out early on in your degree program. Indeed, some of these links contain great resources for students as they progress through graduate school.
- The SIAM Report on Mathematics in Industry. The Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics has a comprehensive report on Mathematics in Industry. It includes some good suggestions for faculty and for students.
- The SIAM Careers and Jobs page. Career resources for students and established mathematicians.
- AMS: Mathematical Sciences Career Information. Resource page for non-academic employment.
- AMS: Early Career Profiles. The American Mathematical Society has profiles of early career mathematics graduates (baccalaureate and masters).
- The AMS Careers and Employment page has great resources, including an excellent Advice for New Ph.D.s page. The latter contains a wealth of practical information and advice about academic and non-academic jobs. Be sure to visit this before starting your job search.
- AWM Career Resources. The Association for Women in Mathematics has a great all round career resources page. This contains lots of links organized by category.
- CaMeW Wheaton Career Mentoring Workshop for women in final year of PhD program.
- Sloan Career Cornerstone Center: Mathematics. Sloan Center has detailed brochures on careers in actuarial science, mathematics and statistics.
- MAA: Student Careers. Career information for mathematics graduates from the Mathematical Association of America.
- MSRI has an online video of interviews of mathematicians who are working in industry, business and government.
- Final year PhD students who are interested in academia should consider applying for a Project NExT fellowship from the MAA. Project NExT "is a professional development program for new or recent Ph.D.s in the mathematical sciences. It addresses all aspects of an academic career: improving the teaching and learning of mathematics, engaging in research and scholarship, and participating in professional activities. It also provides the participants with a network of peers and mentors as they assume these responsibilities." Applications for 2009-10 fellowships are due by April 17, 2009.
- PhDs.org: Science, Math and Engineering Career Resources. Great general resource site for mathematicians and scientists. Includes topics like "Getting into Graduate School", "Succeeding in Graduate School", "Postdoctoral Life", "Finding a Job", "Career Guide for Scientists", and "The Big Picture".
- YMN The Young Mathematicians' Network has many discussion forums, including ones on graduate life and on the job search process.
- Project NExT is a professional development program for new or recent Ph.D.s in the mathematical sciences. It addresses all aspects of an academic career: improving the teaching and learning of mathematics, engaging in research and scholarship, and participating in professional activities. It also provides the participants with a network of peers and mentors as they assume these responsibilities.
- Mathjobs.org: Jobs for Mathematicians. Database of jobs for mathematicians. Contains a huge list of academic positions, and an online application process. This is the default site for academic jobs. It includes the AMS Coversheet, and links to the EIMS job database.
- Chronicle Careers. The Chronicle of Higher Education Career section has a searchable database of positions.
- Cool Math - Careers in Mathematics.
- Helen
Grundman gave a presen,tation in the Graduate
Student Seminar in Spring 2009 which was based on her
Notices article on
writing a teaching philosophy statement. There is some great advice in this
article. Check it out.
- Terrence Tao maintains a comprehensive Career Advice section on his blog. He offers advice at all levels; from primary school through post-doctoral level.
- John Baez's Advice for the Young Scientist page has some excellent advice.
- The OU Career Services site has a wealth of career information for OU students.
- The Oklahoma Greater Grads resource center has information about internships and employment opportunities in Oklahoma.
You should also keep an eye on the talk schedules of the OU Math Club and the Mathematics Graduate Students Association (MGSA) (particularly the Graduate Student Seminar). These groups occasionally invite representatives from industry to talk about career opportunities to OU mathematics students. The MGSA also has a very useful career resources page for students who are interested in a position in academia.