A degree in Applied Math opens the doors to many possibilities. Some of our alumni have been hired straight from their PhD's by companies like 3M, IBM, and Bell Labs. Others have become researchers at government labs or have gone on to become professors in academic institutions that range from small liberal arts colleges to research universities. Various alumni have written us to give an idea of their professional achievements and opportunities.
Richard Braun:
"as a mechanical engineer... at HP, I was able to do some finite element computation; this crystallized my interest in theoretical work and made me interested in going back to school to be able to do it."
Catherine Roberts:
"I founded the Modeling and Simulation Lab where undergraduate students work on applied projects."
Bill Schultz:
"I realized that my weak analytical skills were holding me back. ... I decided to study with Steve Davis. ... Coming to Northwestern was one of the most important and rewarding decisions in my life."
Kevin DeBisschop:
"I am currently a research analyst for the [CNA]. ... this is definitely a nontraditional math job. ... I would certainly recommend this career path to someone who is interested doing very applied research but does not want to go into academia."
Gavin LaRose:
"After ... getting promotion and tenure ... [I moved] into an instructional technology position..."
Rachel Kuske:
"I ... have been involved in organizing and serving as mentor for Math Modeling in Industry Workshops at the IMA and PIMS."
