Welcome to Plus Magazine and the Maths Careers Website

1. Welcome to Plus Magazineand the Maths Careers Website http://mathscareers.org.uk http://plus.maths.org Maths opens doors… The Plus Careers with Maths Library has over 40 interviews with people who use maths in their work, in a wide variety of exciting and surprising careers. The Maths Careers Website tells you all you need to know about maths in life and work, with information for everyone from school students aged 11 and onwards, to undergraduates, graduates, teachers, parents and careers advisers.

2. Maths for skills Maths is a way of thinking - it teaches you skills that you can use in any career That’s why mathematicians work in almost any field you can think of Here are some examples … • How to solve problems • Analytical thinking • Conceptual ability • Communication skills

3. Nick Gray: Computer games developer The real world is governed by the laws of physics. How exactly does a car crunch up when it’s crashed? Nick makes computer games look realistic by encoding the physics of the real world into the virtual world of the game. He needs to put the physics in a language the computer will understand. Making superfast programs involves complex programming problems Explaining what’s happening to non-maths colleagues requires excellent communication skills As a mathematician Nick has it all!

4. Charles Trevelyan and Gala Wright: furniture designers Charles and Gala studied maths at university during their engineering and physics degrees. “There is a lot of problem solving in design, and not just aesthetically” - Charles Need to solve many problems to take designs from idea to reality, and excellent communication skills to instruct manufacturers how to build your design. Maths skills required can be surprising - lots of trigonometry, physics and mechanics. Their background helps them push the limits of their designs. “Don’t underestimate the science in design!” - Gala

5. JimMcElwaine: avalanche researcher Jim was once buried up to his neck in an avalanche… fortunately someone dug him out. Avalance research combines his two favourite things - mathematics and mountaineering. Field work requires both mathematical and mountaineering skills - he also simulates avalanches by releasing a ton of pingpong balls on a ski jump! Jim’s uses maths to model the way the snowpack evolves. Avalanches are a particular example of granular flow - a concept in fluid mechanics. Other examples of this are undersea landslides and processes in industry. “The beauty of maths research is that it can be applied in different fields” - Jim

6. Christine Hogan: aerodynamicist Christine was always interested in formula one racing. She never thought she’d be able to work in this as a career - but thanks to maths she does! She started off using maths to describe the complex airflow in the wake of aircraft - an area which has many safety implications. Christine now designs race cars for a formula one team. Aerodynamicists use maths to model the way air moves around the race cars. Their work affects the cars speed, and can make the difference between winning or losing a race. Each team has a group of these mathematicians working on different parts of the car.

7. Maths makes a difference to your future career • Maths gives you a set of skills that will be useful in any career • Maths gives you the edge when it comes to getting a job • Find out more about where maths can take you in the Plus Careers with Maths Library and on the Maths Careers Website http://plus.maths.org/interview.html http://mathscareers.org.uk