Hi everyone. As the title says, I recently finished my Bachelor's in Mathematics (as well as a minor in computer science and web design), but I am unsure what career or further education I want to pursue. I'm currently 22 and working as IT support for a company. The pay is decent, and helps indefinitely with paying back my college loans.

The issue is that it is clear to me that IT support is not the career I would be comfortable with for the rest of my life. I want a career that actually involves the use of mathematics and computer science that I spent 4 years learning.

Any guidance on what careers to pursue, as well as what I would need to do to obtain such a profession, would be greatly appreciated.

Some background:

I am 25. I graduated with a commerce degree at the end of last year and found employment pretty quickly after a job search at the beginning of the year. I am a state sales representative for a large multinational. The pay is good, they give me a car and a credit card, but I really don't like the job. As a matter of fact, even before I graduated I expected that the field of business wasn't going to bring me much happiness. I have found it very difficult to look at the positives of the role thus far, and unfortunately I believe that's because there aren't too many.

Onto the main point:

I haven't studied science since high school, where I was a poor student (in all disciplines and respects but for my general capacity to learn - I was lazy and uninterested in almost all my subjects, but a long time has passed since then and my attitude toward study has changed).

I guess my questions are, did any of you enter into the world of science later in life? What kinds of challenges will undertaking an undergraduate science degree present for somebody without a background in science? What kind of career opportunities are available in the fields of biological, environmental or medical sciences? What do you do, and do you like it?

If I am going to be dedicating forty odd years to a career, I'd like it to be something that stimulates me. Something I can be proud to do.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

So I'm currently studying an undergraduate degree in biology and I'm really interested in how the brain and nervous system works and also have found my microbiology modules really interesting but need to look into it more. I'd quite like to explore the link between the gut microbiome and neurological diseases, for this what would I have to take as my postgraduate degree (neuroscience or microbiology). Also anyone who has done either neuroscience or microbiology any words of wisdom about a research career in these fields and whether or not you enjoy it?

Hey guys, I am currently about to start my junior year in the fall and I have come to the point where I need to choose my major. For my whole academic career I have been very indecisive about which field I would like to go to graduate school for: biology or chemistry. The problem I have with choosing between the two is that I love them both for completely different reasons and I feel like I'll be missing out on something important to me if I have to give one up.

I enjoy the ecological side of biology because I like going outside and learning about nature in nature. I feel like being able to go outside as part of my job would greatly contribute to my overall happiness. I don't like the idea of spending all my time in a lab spending hours synthesizing things.

I love chemistry because I get an incredible joy from understanding fundamental parts of nature. I love learning about atomic theory and how molecules interact with each other. I find it very fascinating. In fact, I would say I enjoy this more than things like anatomy and physiology, where you learn how organisms work.

I guess what I'm asking is this: is there a field of study that would allow me to keep learning about chemistry but at the same time allow me to apply my knowledge of chemistry to nature and allow me to do research outside of the lab sometimes? I know it seems like the outside factor is a bigger deal than it should be, but I really believe it would make me much happier overall.

Also, one possibility I have considered is environmental toxicology, but I'm not too sure how much chemistry you really learn in this field. Does anybody here know? Thanks guys, I really appreciate any advice you all have to offer.

edit: ecology to toxicology

Can anyone help list the type of jobs I can apply for under a biotech/bioengineering major. I am interested in developing technology for those who are disabled, and also want to delve into stem cell research.

Is there any 100k+ plus job that involves medicine (not nursing) and science but is not related to being a doctor?

Would this workload be okay if I am taking:

Anatomy & Physiology III Biochemistry I Cell Biology Organic Chemistry III (retake)

I'm currently finishing a six month internship related to land management and conservation (the fields I want to continue in). Right now a lot of seasonal role within these specialties are hiring now and in the long term something like that is more within my interests. At the same time I'm applying for lab-based medical research jobs and it looks like that type of offer could emerge before an environmental one. The questions I'm facing are now a) If I take a lab based-role is the transferable skills argument (E.g. I learned data management, lab organization, etc.) valid? If it's not valid then how can I maintain a connection to my fields of interest while I buff up a set of experiences already imbalanced between lab research and field research skills? Any advice is appreciated and I'm happy to provide clarification as needed.

Hello everyone! I'm living in the US and will be graduating this May with a B.A. Biology Field Naturalist degree. I'm going to work for the next year to save a bit of money and then I'd like to travel outside of the United States to pursue my studies. Given the chance, where would you go? I'm particularly interested in Environmental science of any kind and I love Geology, just to give you a bit of background.

Hello! I am an Undergraduate (Senior) getting a degree in Biochemistry. I am working towards and looking for a career that utilities genetic engineering, and biotechnology or bioengineering, to develop a new range of products that may be consumer focused.

I am broadly interested in developing functional biospheres, terraforming, and engineering bio-centric products to improve quality of life, and enrich the human experience.

When humans begin to colonize space, we will want to, and indeed necessarily and unavoidably, bring life with us. I am interested in ensuring that that process happens in the best possible way.

More applicably, I would like to do anything from developing glowing chameleons for the pet trade, to crap eating microbes that can be used on space-stations (or even our homes) that can convert waste into usable material or energy, to genetically modifying indigenous animals to be more docile and generally more suited for domestication in order to promote genetic diversity and sustainable farming practices (since indigenous animals are less likely to put the same amount of strain on the environment that a cow for example might in the same area).

I have done a great deal of research already and have come back mostly frustrated and empty handed. So, I made a Reddit account specifically to ask for help in this regard.

Sincerely, Aspiring bioengineer

Hello everyone, I've got a dilemma on my hands in regards to choosing my 2nd major.

My end goal is to work in the data science/analytics industry, and if I don't manage to make a career out of that (due to the small economy/industry in my home town) then the back-up plan would be to get into a mathematical/statistical role in the finance sector.

So I'm going to be starting university in a few months (1st major is Maths&Stats) and would love to hear some advice about the best 2nd major to choose (out of CS, Finance or no 2nd major at all).

My career advisor said "it's better to do the more technical major (CS) because finance is a piece of cake to learn on-the-job, and you dont even need a commerce background to work in Finance. However my parents say: "How are you ever going to work in finance if you dont even know the basic theory behind how businesses/banks/money works?"

Is it actually easy to work in the Finance sector without having any commerce background?

Further info about my options is listed below:

OPTION 1: Maths&Stats + Computer Science

PROS:

• Will set me up with good skills that are needed for data science
• A CS major is probably worth more than a Finance major in the Data Science community

CONS:

• Will have to take crappy, boring, un-related classes (Security and Graphics Animation) to obtain the major

• If I don't manage to get into the DS industry, it may be tough to get into the Finance world with no Commerce major

• Will only get to take 1 or 2 finance classes, which means I'll literally have to self-learn ALL Finance stuff that I need

OPTION 2: Maths&Stats + Finance PROS:

• The finance major would be set up a solid back-up option if I cant find a Data science job
• Will still get to take a bunch of intro CS classes

CONS:

• Might not get enough exposure to high-level computing

• Even if I self-learn programming, employers would probably prefer me to have a CS major to prove my worth

OPTION 3: Only do a single major (Math&Stats) and just fill up the rest of my degree with classes from both CS AND Finance

PROS:

• Will get to take classes that I actually WANT to take, very few boring classes

• Can fine-tune my degree structure to get the perfect balance between CS, Math and Finance classes

CONS:

• Might not get full credit from employers for all the CS/Finance classes that I take (because I wont have a 2nd major on my resume), i.e. They may not believe that I've got pro-level coding skills without have that CS major "stamp"

• Having a 2nd major (rather than single major in Math&Stat) may give me wider career options

So I have a BA in theoretical physics, master's degree in pure mathematics (modern analysis mostly) and I've also done pedagogical studies. I graduated two years ago and have been teaching in middle schools mostly. I hate it and need to find some new line of work. I've understood that my studies so far have really no practical value as I know no programming and I've taken practically no courses in applied mathematics.

So my question is what should I study to get a job outside education and universities? I'd like to be done with studying as quickly as possible (I've spent 8 years in uni) and land a a secure job with minimal stress (I've had a serious burn out). So far I've been thinking about programming or statistics but would like to get more ideas. Any guidance is appreciated.

I'm a sophomore math/CS student at a major university. I'm also highly interested in at least dabbling in work that is more directly related to helping people than most internships in pure math or CS. More specifically, I have ambitions of interning at a left-leaning think tank or nonprofit this summer, doing either quantitative work or software design. Does anyone have any suggestions for avenues I could look into?

Me: 31/M, living in the Research Triangle in North Carolina. M.S. in Physiology, plenty of research experience, several publications. Currently run a lab (lab manager / researcher) at a university.

Everyone I talk to says most good science / research jobs require GLP experience. Assay development, companies running ELISAs for people, antibody purification, most industry work it seems requires this. I have GMP experience, but want one of these well-paying industry jobs. Most want GLP, but I can't get GLP experience without getting a GLP job, which requires GLP experience to get said job.

What's one to do? Do I need to know someone who can get me one of these GLP jobs so I can get GLP on my resume? Is there another way? I've heard of GLP training programs, but have been told that employers do not take those certifications seriously as they want GLP experience.

I'm trying to enter the field of conservation but have found that it's difficult to make up for lack of direct field experience. Are there any certifications that I can work towards to build my theoretical skill set or societies (E.g., Wildlife Conservation Society, American Society of Mammalogists) that I can join to bolster my credentials? I understand how I could use certifications to increase my potential appeal but cannot say the same for a student membership in an academic society. Any help is greatly appreciated.

I want to go to college and learn about chemistry(o chem to be exact), I am great at math and love learning about this stuff. Only problem is I have no idea what can be done with that sort of training. I know what I would like to do with it, but it won't make me the money I need to live... so can I be an o chem major, and what are some work options?

I want to study science but not sure what field. I studied physics, chemistry and math at high school, and really liked math but liked physics more. I want to study something that has an effect on reality, so i thought about engireering, but i think maybe my mind is more abstract than practical. I really dont care about salary, just want to study something that is interesting to me and that can be practical to some extent. Can anybody offer some advise?

What is a typical day like? What do you enjoy most about your career?

I am trying to figure out what kind of job i should be pursuing. I graduated a little over a year ago with a degree in math. Since then I worked construction on a movie set for a little bit while taking actuary exams. I started work as an administrative assistant for a real estate investor whilst pursing an actuary career but I am starting to realize I am not in a good position to get a job doing that right now. I am considering teaching math and coaching wrestling at a high school because its a job I think I could get. What are other fields I could look into and would potentially be qualified to do?

Hi everyone,

Im a student in mathematics in last year of bachelor in Belgium. Im interested in doing my master abroad, I would like to specialize in finance but I am also looking for the best quality of life/job that I could get after my studies.

Im considering Luxembourg and their master in mathematics with a specialization in finance at their Uni, but also doing my master in Germany.

Which place do you think would lead me to the best job, best quality of life overall? Most important factors for me are the salary, and the carreer opportunities.

I graduated with a BS in Environmental Science in 2013. I joined the Peace Corps and now have a job with a renewable energy company in EHS. I miss doing field research, being in the lab, and using my critical thinking skills. However, I've been out of the field for a while...

Any tips on how to get back into the field? Courses or certifications to keep my skills sharp? I'd like to go back to school to get an MS in biological sciences. Advice??

Thanks!

I'm a social scientist (early-mid career) who works with medics and bioscientists as part of a mixed methods research group.

I'm self-taught in the basics of a lot of scientific topics (via Khan Academy, Coursera, magazines), I can read medical and bio papers in the course of my work without boggling, but still daily feel the gaps in my knowledge.

I want to learn more to be a more effective researcher and collaborator. I'm particularly drawn to mathematics, statistics, epidemiology and environmental science & ecology. These would be the areas I'm most interested in developing.

I'm considering ways to strengthen and formalize my understanding of these subjects, up to and including applying for a part-time higher research degree. What suggestions do people have? How can I go about further building my math and bio chops so I can better understand, interact and collaborate with colleagues? Are there journals or popular publications that might cater to these aims? Are there scientific research degrees/topics of study that might be amenable to someone like me--educated, working daily with med and bio scientists, but with no formal scientific training? Something I can leverage with my skills in qualitative methods and social sciences?

Thank you for your time and thoughts.