JOINING THE WORLD OF THE MATHEMATICIAN

If you feel a need for inspiration, try one of the resources below. Some have long interviews or biographies with mathematicians and others are much shorter. Some have information on careers that have been chosen by mathematicians. Some are on the World Wide Web.
I am always eager to find more sources, so let me know if you find a good source that is not on this list.

1. Mathematical people: profiles and interviews
   editors Donald J. Albers and G.L. Alexanderson, introduction by Philip J. Davis.
   QA28 .M37 1985 in Cooley Library, or borrow the department's copy from the shelves in the department lounge.

2. More mathematical people : contemporary conversations
   edited by Donald J. Albers, Gerald L. Alexanderson, Constance Reid.
   QA28 .M67 1990 in Cooley Library

3. Black Mathematicians and Their Works
   edited by Virginia Newell, Joella Gipson, L. Waldo Rich, Beauregard Stubblefield, published by Dorrance, 1980.
   The departmental copy is on the shelves in the departmental office, or you can get it by interlibrary loan.
   It contains research papers of African-american mathematicians as well as brief biographies in the back. After the biographies is a very interesting appendix of letters regarding the rights of mathematicians to attend conferences in their field.

4. Black Women in Mathematics in the United States
   by Patricia C. Kenschaft, Journal of African Civilizations. (1982, April).
   Our library does not have this volume, but I have copies of the article in my office, or it can be requested via interlibrary loan.

5. Biographies of women mathematicians...some very brief, some longer.
   This also has a link to other resources about primarily women mathematicians.

6. The Faces of Science: African Americans in the Sciences (from Louisiana State Univ.)
   Lots of stuff here including descriptions of the careers of male and female mathematicians.

7. Careers that Count
   Descriptions of fifteen people who use mathematics in their work.

8. Career Profiles:
   Statements by a variety of mathematical scientists about how they use their mathematics. Many use mathematics in industry. For example, one is an agricultural economist. (From the MAA)

9. Applied mathematicians working in industry or government list mathematical topics that relate to their work and also describe their careers. These people will answer your email questions about careers, graduate schools, etc. There is a link to a Career Information Page. (From AMS and SIAM)

10. National Security Agency
    Careers and SUMMER INTERNSHIPS using mathematics to make and break codes are described. This agency does the codes for the CIA and other governmental organizations. Modern coding theory uses mathematics once considered pure (non-applied) such as number theory.

11. Actuarial Science: Actuaries use mathematics and skills in communication and writing to work in businesses (insurance, for example) and are said to have one of the best careers of them all. Good pay, good working conditions... Tons of information is available, including newsletters for students preparing for actuarial exams.
    The info. can be found at these two sites:
    
    • The Society of Actuaries
    • The Casualty Actuarial Society

12. This one is just for fun, and you may not use it for a homework assignment. Mathematical cartoons and jokes.

13. Here's another one you may not use for a homework assignment. Check out this site for reviews of major motion pictures with real math in them. Someone, please, start a film club for the mathematics department.
    Math in the Movies Page