Applied Mathematics at Western -- Applied Mathematics Courses

Frequently Asked Questions

What Do Applied Mathematicians do?
What careers are open to me with a major in Applied Mathematics?
What are the different flavours of Applied Mathematics?
What scholarships and other financial aid are available?

What Do Applied Mathematicians Do?

They use their knowledge of mathematics, combined with familiarity with other fields such as engineering, physics or biology, to make discoveries about the world that may be difficult or perhaps even impossible otherwise - for example by doing physical experiments. Thus the behaviour of atomic and subatomic particles, the dispersal of pollutants in our environment, the air flow patterns around an aircraft wing, the value of a portfolio of risky bonds and the evolution of HIV are among the fields of study at Western. These are sophisticated problems at the frontiers of our knowledge and they can rarely be solved exactly. So Applied Mathematicians usually include approximation and computational techniques among their skills. If this interests you and you're pretty good at mathematics, you should consider joining us. Study in one of the several Applied Mathematics programs offered at Western: you'll learn lots of useful mathematics and how to apply the subject to interesting problems - you'll probably become pretty expert at computing as well, making use of Western's excellent computing facilities. And by graduation time, you will have a strong background that will equip you to contribute in a wide variety of employment areas, or continue at a university to earn a graduate degree.

What careers are open to me with a major in Applied Mathematics?

Often people with the background in applied mathematics combine this interest with interest and expertise in another field such as, for example, computer science, theoretical physics, statistics, finance, biology or chemistry. Applied mathematics is also employed in business, industry, and government.

The Department of Applied Mathematics at Western offers joint programs with other departments including physics, chemistry, statistics and computer science.

For a discussion of careers in Applied Math, we refer you to the excellent online brochure produced by the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics. Click the right margin of the brochure to read about potential careers, the experiences of people who are themselves applied mathematicians, "what employers expect", etc.

There are books that offer a perspective on the wide range of opportunities available to people who major in applied mathematics:

Peterson's Internships, information about on-the-job opportunities at over 1700 organizations that offer paid and unpaid internships for students as well as for adults, published yearly by Peterson's Guides, Princeton, NJ.
Peterson's Job Opportunities for Engineering, Science, and Computer Graduates, employer profiles and lists of companies with opportunities in each area including mathematical sciences, published yearly by Peterson's Guides, Princeton, NJ.
Job Choices in Science and Engineering, published regularly by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Catalog can be accessed over the Web through JobWeb, or call 1-800-544-5272.
Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the US Department of Labor
Great Careers for People Interested in Math. and Computers, P. Richardson and B. Gale, 1993
Exploring High-Tech Careers, S. Scott, Rosen Group 1993
Careers in Computer Field, J. Weintraub, Rosen Group 1993
Careers in High Tech, N. Basta, NTC Pub Grp, 1992
Career Opportunities in Science and Technology: A Source Guide, Gordon Pr., 1991
Career Connection Two: A Guide to Technical Majors and Their Related Careers, F. Rowe, JIST Works, 1991

What are the different flavors of Applied Mathematics?

Mathematics is at least five thousand years old, and has had contributions from many of the liveliest minds ever to grace the Earth. As such it would be impossible to give a comprehensible overview in such a short space. Instead, we present selected `flavours' of applied mathematics, representative of what we do here or find interesting, that may give a hint as to the excitement, generality, and depth of modern applied mathematics. Click on the entries below for details of each selection.

What scholarships and other financial aid are available?

Click here if you have any questions or comments you would like to e-mail to an Applied Mathematics counsellor.