RSSeNEWS to be determined...

Looking for a career in statistics? Your degree and skills could qualify you to work as an astronaut, criminologist, thespian or pyrotechnics expert, according to Arvind Gupta of Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems  (MITACS), the Canadian research network that connects university-based math researchers with companies and other organisations.

"If you're under the impression that jobs that use mathematics are the ones that are dry and dull, you'll be surprised to discover the vast array of opportunities available," he said. Further possibilities Gupta listed included sports analyst, climatologist, cryptographer, town planner, transport designer and video game designer, and "this is just the tip of the iceberg," he commented.

Writing in the Montreal Gazette, Gupta, who is MITACS' scientific director and advises maths graduates on possible career options, referred to the 2010 Careercast JobsRated.com survey of 200 occupations. The Careercast survey found that 8 of the top 10 jobs required strong mathematical skills. Its rankings are made up by comparing different jobs' income potential, stress or physical demands, working conditions, competitiveness and hiring outlook.

The rankings are "a sign of what the future holds," said Gupta, and "underscore the transformation underway in our society to one in which the generation and application of knowledge are increasingly highly prized. Those with quantitative skills will increasingly be in a position to garner the best careers leading to the highest rate of job satisfaction."

He commented that "the ability to reason about our world by logically analysing information and then making the decision that has the best chance of giving an optimal result is not limited to any one profession … I know that this list of jobs will continue to grow."