Kerry Whisnant, an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan and professor of physics at Iowa State University, may be on to something that will greatly impact team winning percentages. Mathematical models that he and other fanatic baseball statisticians have helped produce may accurately predict teams' successes. Whisnant and other members of the Society for American Baseball Research have analyzed...
Computational Biologist
A computational biologist applies the techniques of computer science, applied mathematics and statistics to address biological problems. His/her main focus lies on developing mathematical modeling and computational simulation techniques. By these means it addresses scientific research topics without a laboratory.
Low-end Salary:
$45,000/yr
Median Salary:
$100,000/yr
High-end Salary:
$150,000/yr Education:
Until recently, there were no formal educational opportunities in computational biology at the graduate level. Therefore, most of the current practitioners and authorities in the field have a combination of degrees at the graduate (master's or doctorate) and undergraduate levels in mathematics, computer science, and biology.
Math Required:
College Algebra
Trigonometry
Calculus I and II
Linear Algebra
Numerical Analysis and Differential Equations
Probability and Statistics
When Math Is Used:
Computational biologists use math as they apply algorithms and statistical techniques to the interpretation, classification and understanding of biological data. These typically consist of large numbers of DNA, RNA, or protein sequences. They also are concerned with building computational models of biological systems and mathematically modeling the behavior or molecules.
Potential Employers:
Highly qualified individuals are in demand at academic, private, and government research institutes alike.
Facts:
The International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB) is an organization for computational biologists and it serves over 2500 members from nearly 70 countries around the world.
Citations:
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Quote Of The Day
"Students often ask me what to take in school… my answer?... follow your natural interests, but take lots of math!"
Vice President and General Manager for GE Medical Systems
General Electric Company
Figures represent salary potential.
© BYU Mathematics Department 2009
Additional support provided by:
Mathematical Association of America