Mathematics

Workers with the ability to think analytically and solve complex problems are in high demand in America’s workplace and beyond – and they are paid salaries commensurate with those abilities. DePauw offers actuarial science and mathematics as majors, and applied statistics data science and mathematics as minors – the very disciplines in demand for today’s top business jobs, as identified by U.S. News and World Report: statistician, data scientist, actuary, operations research analyst and mathematician.

Students interested in pursuing professional programs, such as law school or medical school, find that a mathematics degree from DePauw separates them from the pack. Other students expand their future job prospects and cause their resumes to rise to the top by pairing a major in actuarial science or mathematics with another discipline, such as economics, computer science, physics or pre-engineering.

Mathematical Sciences students at DePauw learn:

Reasoning skills

Students analyze, synthesize and interpret texts, images, experiences and other information mathematically. Their critical and/or creative-thinking skills are demonstrated by their quantitative literacy and their ability to solve practical, complex and theoretical problems and to analyze information to make a quantitative judgment of significance.

Modeling skills

Students formulate and apply mathematics to solve a broad spectrum of complex problems.They must demonstrate their ability to make connections among theory, problem-solving and applications and to identify and use appropriate technology to simulate and visualize mathematical ideas.

Communication skills

Students read and write in mathematical contexts and learn to make written and oral presentations.

Reading and research skills

Students conduct research, collaboratively or independently, using methods and tools appropriate to mathematics. https://money.usnews.com/careers/ best-jobs/rankings/best-business-jobs. Retrieved Sept. 13, 2018.

STUDENT PROFILE

SAM SHOWALTER ’18

Major: Mathematics and Economics| Minor: Computer Science Rector Scholar

Sam Showalter ’18 was a Rector scholar who double majored in mathematics and economics and minored in computer science. He was involved in a number of student organizations, including DePauw’s Data Science Group and the DePauw Investment Group, both of which he served as president. Sam was awarded a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, where he worked in summer 2018 in the laboratory of researcher Scott Glancy in Boulder, Colo. Their project was titled “The Characterization of Quantum Computers” in summer 2018. Sam is now an engineer at West Monroe Partners, a multinational management and technology consulting firm headquartered in Chicago.

Career & Graduate

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Accountant, Actuary, Budget analyst, Cost estimator, Data analyst, Economist, Financial planner, Fraud investigator, Insurance underwriter, Inventory control specialist, Market researcher, Mathematician, Meteorologist, Operations research analyst, Purchasing agent, Risk analyst, Software engineer, Statistician, Data scientist, Teacher/professor

GRADUATE INSTITUTIONS ATTENDED

For actuarial science or financial math/ financial engineering programs: Columbia University, University of Chicago, University of Notre Dame, University of Washington. For master’s and doctoral programs: Indiana University, University of California-Los Angeles, University of Minneapolis, Washington University

Faculty

Suman Balasubramanian, Ph.D., Mississippi State University. Focuses on mathematical modeling of networks, including such phenomena as the spread of disease, social interactions and data mining of social media such as Facebook.

Sutthirut Charoenphon, Ph.D., University of Memphis. Focuses on the Partial Differential Equations, Control Theory and Differential Equations. The interest in studying this type of problem and model is motivated by many applications arising in engineering and medical sciences.

Mark Kannowski, Ph.D., University of Iowa. Has been associated with the College Board’s Advanced Placement program for more than 25 years, serving as a reader, table leader, question leader and consultant.

Seonguk Kim, Ph.D., University of Alabama at Birmingham. Interested in mathematical physics, mathematical biology and partial and ordinary differential equations.

Nachimuthu Manickam, Ph.D., Ohio State University. Has had 32 papers published in various international journals.

Mamunur Rashid, Ph.D., Bowling Green State University. Used to work as a statistician at an international nonprofit, where he supported medical doctors and social scientists on health and population research. Switched to teaching to continue learning and create a good environment for students.

Naima Shifa, Ph.D., Bowling Green State University. Has supervised numerous students as they conduct research. Received a Great Lakes College Association grant to study a public health issue.

Zhixin Wu, Ph.D., University of Rochester. Awarded a Society of Actuaries grant to develop the actuarial science program at DePauw and a Richard A. and Jane Leahy Warne Faculty Fellowship 2017-20.