choose maths
Fiona O'Meara
Teacher - Maths
The Choose Maths seminar was an excellent opportunity for BSC students to hear about the many advantages of including maths studies in their VCE pathway.
As students prepare to choose their VCE pathways, it is very important that they are as informed as possible and that they think critically about their potential choices. At the seminar, students listened to a wide range of industry professionals speak about how maths plays a vital role in their careers. The Q & A session was especially valuable, as students could raise any concerns, and clarify any misconceptions that they may have had regarding the need for maths skills across a range of industries.
Studies have shown that significantly less female students pursue maths and science studies at VCE level and as a consequence they reduce their course options at tertiary level. BSC staff are making a concious and concerted effort to ensure that female students have the confidence and motivation to pursue these areas of learning should they choose to do so; this seminar certaily was inspiring!
Daryah Hickling-Vahua Zeynel
Cadet Reporter
Year 10
The Australian Mathematical Science Institution (ASMI) hosted a ‘Choose Maths’ seminar at the University of Melbourne, to encourage female participation in Specialist Maths, Maths Methods as well as Further Maths studies as part of their VCE.
One of the ASMI leaders introduced a number of company’ambassadors, each with a unique occupation. These experts ranged from a chemical engineer to a football analyst, astrophysicist, market and risk analyst and many others. Each ambassador individually and anecdotally presented all perspectives of their careers and the relevance and type of maths involved in their job - such as solving equations, creating an equation or even simple, logical problem solving.
Leading to their current pathways, these ambassadors explained the importance of separating hobbies from their interests and strengths for certain subjects that may be required for prerequisites in university. Through one-on-one conversations as well as a Q & A session, they assisted us to crystalise our subject choices for next year, telling us the requirements and expectations of certain careers along that pathway and giving us advice when indecisive.
Furthermore , the presentations of each ambassador inspired and motivated each and every one of us regarding our future paths. The seminar was very helpful as we were making our subject selections for next year, so having this feedback about career 'journeys' has resolved a lot of extra stress and pressure about making these decisions.
Through the presentation I learned that math is used in all careers - whether its used to find solutions for situations, identifying equations, or to actually solve given equations. Some jobs require it more than others but I think it is important to include it in my VCE studies as 75% of the fastest growing industries and top jobs require maths.
Meredith Walker
On the excursion we heard from mathematicians from many different careers, from astronomy to AFL. It was really interesting to learn how maths applies to so many areas in science and life in general.
Margot De Gier
In the talk I became inspired to think about [studying] Specialist Maths because it leads to many careers - some that I didn't know needed maths.
Bella Vesk
I learned that the Pythagoras Theorem can be used to discover the shape of the universe. On a flat surface, a sum of a triangle’s angles is 180. On a concave surface, it’s less and a convex surface it is more! From this information we learned the universe is flat!
Georgie Walker
This excursion was really insightful in terms of whether to chose maths next year in VCE. It showed us many different pathways and careers that require maths day to day.
