101 Careers in Mathematics

Many years ago, one of my students approached me to ask about career possibilities in mathematics. Her name was Yawa Dusé-Anthony, and she was a particularly talented math major at Colby. She wasn’t sure, however, that she wanted to go to graduate school in mathematics. As it happened, a review copy of the first edition of 101 Careers in Mathematics was on my desk, and I suggested that she might want to read it to learn about career possibilities, and maybe also write a review for me. The resulting review was one of the first to appear in the Read This! column. (It appeared before we made it a rule to include a scan of the book’s cover!)

Well, it’s many years later, and here is the second edition of 101 Careers in Mathematics. On pages 66 and 67, you will find a profile of Yawa, who is now a senior associate at KKO and Associates, working on mathematical modeling related to transportation planning.

Of course, I’m bursting with pride to see her there. (There’s one other Colby student in the book, too!) But perhaps her story can serve as a testament to the value of this book. By giving many profiles of people who used their mathematics degrees in many different ways, it will open interesting and valuable possibilities for any student who reads it.

One minor complaint: I don’t much like the title. First of all, there are more than 101 profiles here. Second, there is other stuff: several appendices with tips and hints on finding jobs. So why 101? I have no idea. Surely not because of the dalmatians?

In one sentence: every mathematics department should have one of these lying around in its common room for the students to browse.

Fernando Q. Gouvêa is the editor of Read This! and a professor of mathematics at Colby College in Waterville, ME.