Problem, solved: the many uses of mathematics
Want to make a real difference? Solving the world’s biggest problems is one of the many cool uses of mathematics.
If you want to get paid to change the world – or your local community – you don’t need to do an environmental, health or social science degree to make an impact. With tertiary maths qualifications, you can get into areas like conservation and climate change, health, architecture and agriculture. And the coolest part? The career opportunities and uses of mathematics are endless.
Mathematics in conservation and climate change
Next-gen statistics gigs aren’t just reserved for snoozy offices. For eco-warriors with analytics skills, there are loads of important environmental pathways that benefit from a love both of numbers and the planet. There are people using their maths skills to predict natural disasters, forecast the weather, map ecosystems, and even gather data on protected species.
Mathematics in health
Remember when we were getting the daily COVID-19 case numbers at the peak of the pandemic? That’s the important work of a data scientist or health statistician, who works 9 to 5 applying sophisticated formulas to predict patterns and forecast the effectiveness of suppression strategies. Totally life-saving – and all without the six-year medical degree.
Mathematics in agriculture
If you love finding solutions to make life a little easier, efficient and more sustainable, think about flexing your number smarts in agriculture. Next-gen farmers are becoming increasingly fluent in analytics and statistics to predict weather patterns, the best places to plant, the probability of soil effectiveness and how much produce they’ll need. Either study straight-up agriculture and skill up with a maths elective, or go down the maths route and apply for jobs in food and farming.
The uses of mathematics in architecture
Making sure a building is built to last isn’t just about sourcing the right materials. There are plenty of mathematical equations that go into working out the dimensions and design of a job before construction kicks off. Draftspeople, architects, site managers and builders all rely on maths, along with the tradies on-site. Along with uni degrees, look into VET opportunities too.
