Dr. Susanna Cramb is a Strategic Research Fellow at the Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation at the Queensland University of Technology. As a Superstar of STEM, she is currently uncovering the disparities that influence chronic disease outcomes through mathematics.
Guest Blog by Dr. Susanna Cramb
“Do you enjoy manipulating numbers but feel maths is too theoretical to make a real-world difference?
Think again!
Part of the challenge in choosing a career is that at school we are taught the building blocks, but it’s nothing like working in the field. Most biologists don’t dissect toads each day, and most mathematicians/statisticians aren’t spending their time manually solving calculus.
Instead, a career in maths allows you to take your passions and interests, and combine it with data analysis or modelling to create your dream career.”
People + purpose
“My main drive is to help people. Because I did well in science and maths in high school, medicine seemed to be an obvious choice. No-one ever suggested I could take my skills in maths and use them to help people!
But through a series of unlikely events I came to work in epidemiology and statistics-related research and absolutely loved it! Not only can I help my students pursue their career goals and develop as independent researchers, but I have seen the government act on my research to make it easier for patients living in rural areas of Queensland to access medical treatment.
I am now very enthusiastic about encouraging others to pursue a career in maths/statistics. But how do you know if it’s for you?”
My top tips for finding your dream career in maths!
1. Try it out
Take every opportunity to experience what it is like to work in maths/statistics. Do internships (e.g. APR.Intern and others offer great opportunities in this realm), or summer vacation scholarships at your local university to try it out.
2. Expand your interests
Join professional associations – they normally offer cheap rates for uni students and also often feature career nights and other relevant activities. Get involved in their councils and network with other members. This could help you understand more about what job opportunities are possible, and may land you internships or job offers also.
Not at university yet? Engage with a citizen science project with a mathematical component, like the Virtual Reef Diver. Or get your school to engage with Mathscraft, where you can experience maths in action! Attend maths-inspired public talks at the World Science Festival and other events like public lectures, or listen to podcasts like this one - https://acems.org.au/podcast.
3. Be true to yourself!
Do you love numbers but find your eyes glazing over with extensive formulae? Then go for an applied option. Find the opposite to be true? Then aim to focus on theory. The sky is the limit as you fashion a career to match your unique skills and interests.
4. Build your communication skills
Applied mathematicians have a diverse group of people they need to communicate with including industry, government, peers, scientists, community groups and more! Try out different mediums. I have created lego videos explaining statistical concepts (e.g. The Risky Odds, available at: https://tinyurl.com/LegoOdds), spoken about my research at Pint of Science, engaged with school students through individual presentations and during panel sessions, and presented at government symposia and large international conferences. Social media is a powerful tool to communicate and also engage with others, so create a professional account for your career purposes.
5. Finally, make sure you enjoy the journey!
Throughout your life you keep changing and growing, and a career that is perfect one day may leave you unfulfilled the next. So keep stretching yourself and be willing to change direction. A career in maths enables great variety and flexibility!