By Valerie Nelson, PhD,

Ever wondered how valuable your math degree is?  Do you wonder what things you can do with your ability to prove tough theorems, use complex formulas, and apply assumptions and definitions to make connections and draw conclusions?  While a lot of my fellow math majors initially landed a teaching job after completing their degrees, I embarked on a journey that would eventually convince me of one certain truth about my math training- I can do *anything* I want to do and be successful at it too!  Don’t believe me?  Let me give you a glimpse of my career path- one that I never anticipated and am still in awe over whenever I look back at my life and all the things that I have done.

I grew up being a natural problem solver, always brainstorming and devising creative ways to solve the world’s problems or improve existing processes. No one asked me to do this; my brain just always functioned this way.  So when it came down to selecting a college major, I was overwhelmed by all of the choices.  One thing I knew was that I did not want to limit myself because the world was too full of problems I could tackle.  I wanted the freedom to explore and be flexible, so I decided to major in math.  I knew I could teach (which is actually my passion), but I wanted to save the world and not just inside of a classroom.  

While I was in college, I was an INROADS Inc. intern, working full time every summer where I got an introduction into accounting and commercial real estate banking.  This earned me my first full-time job offer with Bank of America as a real estate relationship underwriter.  While there, I was asked to consider a job as an applied research mathematician for the National Security Agency (NSA), where I ended up working for over 20 years in a wide range of areas.  I worked in cryptanalysis, signals analysis, cybersecurity, data science, and even in education and training.  I wasn’t just a mathematician working proofs though; I eventually became a leader who implemented significant changes that created a lasting impact and are still in use today, because I was a problem solver.  I didn’t just go to work and perform the same routine each day. While I had my expected duties, I was always looking ahead, seeing where we were, where we wanted to be, and trying to figure out how we could get there.  As I learned how to get the right audience to hear my ideas, I would tie a strategy I had mapped out to our leadership’s goals, presenting the expected results and the impact they would have on our mission. My plans identified major problems, addressed any requirements, and considered the available resources. In short, my strategies were realistic and promising, and they usually worked.

I also became known for jumpstarting efforts that were difficult for others to move forward.  I loved a new challenge and would immediately ask a lot of questions to gather the data, the assumptions, and the goals before assembling an appropriate team to accomplish the task at hand.  Consequently, I usually had to learn a lot of new concepts, familiarize myself with new programs and processes, and often picked up new skills. This has made me a lifelong learner and has expanded my knowledge in so many areas.  I was able to do this though because I had strong foundational training that equipped me to face anything that came my way, and this has permeated all areas of my life.

My mathematics training taught me how to thoroughly understand a problem, identify and analyze possible solutions, and evaluate results for effectiveness against required criteria. I’ve had to pay attention to details more than most people do, modularize large projects so they are approached in manageable chunks, and report on the results so those without my skillset could understand.  Isn’t this what you are taught as you are learning how to prove a theorem or present a new result?  Yes.  This is real mathematics.  This is the power of critical thinking, problem solving, and leading change. It is about getting the results we want, with a plan that works.

Despite this fact, I come across a lot of people with degrees in math who simply fall into a job because they really don’t know what they can or want to do, other than teach. They often don’t have a specific path of interest, and more importantly, they often don’t know how to sell themselves, because they don’t know what their degrees are worth.  Sure, people will think you are smart, but they might not know what to do with you.  This is where you have to know who you are and the possibilities that exist. Mathematicians can always find a teaching job, but what else can you do?  As I mentioned earlier, you can do ANYTHING!  How?  Because you are a trained problem solver who knows how to ask questions, gather data, analyze and think, then come up with a solution to whatever life brings your way.  You are a critical thinker, and you are precise.  You may not know how to do something today, but you can learn it.  You may not know how to approach a problem you are given, but you can figure it out.  You might not even be a sociable butterfly or extrovert, but you can identify who has the skills needed to tackle a problem and assign tasks as appropriate to get the job done.  You are a valuable asset to any company that employes you, and you might just become the owner of one.  I did.  I started my own business, Training Keys, LLC (www.thetrainingkeys.com), where I have the freedom to change the world the way I know best.  I have just began this journey and have a long way to go, but I am a mathematician, so I know I can succeed.  I am looking forward to joining the ranks one day with my some of my fellow math majors- Jeffrey Immelt (CEO of General Electric), Sergey Brin (Co-founder of Google President of Alphabet), Indra Nooyi (CEO of PepsiCo), and Steve Ballmer (Owner of LA Clippers and Former CEO of Microsoft). Their math degrees set them up for success, and yours will too!