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...
Computer Scientist
Computer scientists work as theorists, researchers, or inventors. They use innovation to solve complex problems and create or apply new technology. The areas of computer science research range from complex theory to hardware design to programming-language design. Some researchers work on projects such as developing and advancing uses of virtual reality, extending human-computer interaction, or designing robots.
Low-end Salary:
$57,480/yr
Median Salary:
$97,970/yr
High-end Salary:
$151,250/yr Education:
Most computer scientist positions require a Ph.D. degree as their main job function is research. Computer scientists having only a bachelor’s or master’s degree are generally limited in their ability to advance.
Math Required:
College Algebra
Trigonometry
Calculus I, II, III
Linear Algebra
Ordinary Differential Equations
Theory of Analysis
Abstract Algebra
Graph Theory
Numerical Methods
Combinatorics
When Math Is Used:
Computer scientists use mathematics as they span a range of topics from theoretical studies of algorithms, which are a series of steps understood by someone or something in order to complete a task in a given number of steps, and the computation of implementing computing systems in hardware and software.
Potential Employers:
Many computer scientists are employed by Internet service providers; Web search portals; and data processing, hosting, and related services firms. Others work for government, manufacturers of computer and electronic products, insurance companies, financial institutions, and universities. A growing number of computer specialists are employed on a temporary or contract basis; many of these individuals are self-employed, working independently as contractors or consultants.
Facts:
Computer scientist, Brent Seales, from the University of Kentucky used modern digital technology that allowed him to peer inside two of the fragile scrolls from the Mount Vesuvius explosion in 79 A.D. He did this without physically opening them in order to unlock the secrets they have held for almost 2,000 years.
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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