When writing software, I work with logarithms, number bases, and probability frequently. For example, I might have a task where I need to figure out how many bits it would take to store a 20 character code that is made up of any of 26 different characters. Or I might want to figure out how many machines I should use to back up customer data if each machine has a certain average lifespan, it takes a certain amount of time to copy all of the data, and I want to be a certain (very high) percentage sure that I will never have every machine fail before new backups are made. Almost every software problem has some form of math problem buried within.

   As a surgical resident, I use math on a daily basis. Many of the medications we use are dosed based on weight and how the body metabolizes, or breaks down the medications. The total desired dose is determined and then the rate of administration is determined. Many of these calculations are not terribly complex, but if they are not used correctly, the consequences can be disastrous.

   As a biomedical engineer, I work to design medical devices to help physicians treat patients with a variety of problems. To understand the problems better, engineers model the systems and then test innovative solutions to see if they are effective. To model varying flows of fluids in the heart or lungs, I can use differential equations. To test solutions to problems, I take data that I can analyze with statistics to determine their efficacy.

   I work on optimizing performance of computer simulations in the field of computational electrodynamics. The results of the simulations are used to grant FDA approval to new medical devices. I often work with coordinate transforms, memory access patterns and number bases. I also use math to analyze data collected from simulation performance to find the optimal program configuration. Much of the optimization involves making hundreds of thousands of operations occur simultaneously, so I must be able to think spatially about the data access points of each of the nodes to resolve conflicts between them. Because even a small error will skew results greatly over the course of the simulation, the best solution is always to utilize math to precisely tune the software.

   I use math every day in my orthodontic practice. I use it to predict tooth sizes, to determine how much to widen a person's teeth, and to determine facial proportions and compare them to the norm. We use math to determine how much crowding a person has and if all of the teeth will fit. We even use math to measure distances and angles of skeletal landmarks on our x-rays. A strong background in math is very important in our line of work.

   So I obviously teach math everyday at my job, and to be able to teach a concept to a little kid is much harder than actually solving a math problem. There are so many different types of learners, so I try to show how to solve different problems visually and using manipulatives. Figuring out the child's thought process and getting them to find the right answer can be tricky, but very rewarding. I may not teach advanced algebra or calculus, but the foundational skills that I am building help students to better understand the processes that they are going to learn in the future.

   In my summer job as a Day Camp Director, I oversee a budget of $150,000. Budgeting consumes a large majority of my time. I use math everyday to track my expenses, estimate my profits, and to think of creative ways to cut spending to improve my net gain over the year.

   Numbers are an important part of my career because I solicit corporations, foundations, and individuals for philanthropic gifts in the six- and seven-figure range. Asking for money is what I do, but figuring out how the constituents can budget their money to make philanthropic gifts is important, too. Additionally, I supervise staff members and strategic priority areas for the USF Foundation which requires me to review budgets on a weekly, if not daily, basis.

   I'm studying to get dual M.Eds in Teaching Children with Visual Impairments and Orientation and Mobility. Math is all around. When teaching mobility, the ability to accurately estimate distances and heights of objects is crucial to safety. In my logistical work, figuring out percentages of my time, how much I can spend on working with kids, transportation, and paperwork all require math skills. I also have to deal with chronological age versus adjusted age and determine if they are within the percentiles. Dealing with the accuracy of vision is all about angles and distances. Finally we determine if the family will qualify for financial services based on income. There will be math EVERYWHERE!!!

   As a Registered Nurse in the Intensive Care Unit, I must carefully calculate and titrate medications for administration. The calculations are nothing intricate, but a life does rest in my hands and one small error can literally be the difference between life and death, a happy ending or a tragic one. Math is something that everyone, no matter their career path, will encounter on a daily basis.

   My job description is basically a professional way of saying “jack-of-all-trades,” as it was meant to traverse both the program and development (fundraising) sides of our organization. Most of my time is spent giving presentations about epilepsy and seizures; however, I am also in charge of compiling what everyone in the office refers to as “the numbers.” On a quarterly basis, I write our reports for the PA Department of Health and Epilepsy Foundation National, which involve a variety of statistics. Although I may not use math computation every day, the logical reasoning and approaches to problem solving (that I practiced and applied in math class) help me tackle unexpected obstacles that arise from seemingly routine tasks, like creating indestructible Excel spreadsheets that simultaneously meet the needs of my colleagues and are protected from unintentional overwriting of important formulas.

   I work at an investment company, and we deal with high net worth individuals every day. It is important for us to manage their accounts with extreme accuracy so we literally have to make sure everything adds up correctly. One of my roles is to handle the in-house operations such as paying our bills. Something as simple as writing a check requires basic math. In my interview, my boss asked if I could do 49 times 49 in my head. Having a strong sense of math allowed me to work through the problem, and eventually get the job!

   When I'm designing something new in my nuclear power plant, I use math and science to determine whether or not my design is going to work. For example, I might need to install a new pump into a piping system. To make sure that it will provide enough pressure for the complicated network of pipes, I need to use Bernoulli's equation and the Darcy–Weisbach equation. It's only a few simple equations, but the trick to successfully designing something new is to have a good understanding of HOW to solve the problem based on what you currently have and having a thorough understanding of what the results you found actually mean.

   In orthopedic surgery, our entire surgical specialty is based around math; the goal is to establish normal bone alignment in the human skeleton. This involves measuring lengths, angles, and displacement of broken and disfigured bones, and calculating how to put them back together to make them normal again. I am using my math skills on a daily basis and it makes me a better surgeon!

   Math is essential to creating art, especially on a computer. You have to know things like how images are drawn on your screen with the origin, (0,0), at the top left corner instead of the bottom left. 3D objects have to be carefully placed in 3D coordinate space, including the virtual camera which translates the 3D information onto a 2D surface. Even knowing calculus is invaluable for editing curves to create smooth animations, especially if they are attempting to imitate physics. Even traditional mediums like painting and sculpture involve thinking about space, geometry, and scale. Art and math may seem like opposites, but they are actually inseparable.

   We use different mathematics all the time at Domino's! We are constantly using fractions in determining the portioning of toppings that go on your favorite pizzas, as well as ratios to figure labor calculations, and using complex equations to figure out our labor waste costs for our profit and loss reports. Even simple math is used, such as figuring how much change to give a customer.

   Shaving on camera doesn't come without risk. I must constantly be aware of the angle the razor's edge is making with my face, the quality of the razor's bevel, and the precise ratio of shaving soap to water to ensure I shave with a rich, thick lather!

   As a researcher, I study how different types of programs and policies help kids and their families. I use math all the time! The statistics I generate from data analysis help me know if programs and policies help families or not, and I use various graphs to present my findings to policymakers and practitioners who can make changes to laws and regulations based on my findings. In my free time, I teach dance. I use math when I'm creating new shapes and movement for the dancers, as well as when I have to create a team budget.

   After Harrison, I went to the Naval Academy for undergrad (studied Naval Architecture - tons of calculus and vector math). I then became a Navy pilot from 2003 to 2014 and got a master’s in systems engineering at USC. I settled in San Diego and started a tech startup in 2014 to build GNC (guidance, navigation, and controls) systems for drones - specifically to solve the problem of launching, navigating, and landing a drone to a moving boat at sea (very heavy focus on Kalman filters / state estimation, and computer vision). Here's what that looks like.

   Unfortunately, what math looks like for me these days is dealing with venture capital investors, managing a technical team, and building monster excel spreadsheets (financial models, sales projections, headcount planning) … less "sexy math" than what my staff does, but having an understanding of what they’re working on is crucial to my day-to-day.

   All in all, Mathcounts and my time at ETMS was crucial to setting me on a technical path that has always served me well, and for that I’m grateful to the team at ET.

   While I would like to say that I utilize mathematics whenever it comes time to multiply fishes and loaves, Our Lord Jesus hasn’t granted me that charism quite yet. Beyond simple arithmetic in daily situations and planning parish finances, math comes up in conversation, as well. As a Catholic priest I encounter many in today’s culture who are skeptical of the existence of God. Among other approaches, I occasionally point out mathematical objects or proofs (such as the golden mean, the Fibonacci sequence, the musical scale, and geometric proofs) which suggest a divine origin to the universe. There is undoubtedly a beauty, harmony, proportion, and wholeness in mathematics, all of which point to a brilliant Author. Some (including Galileo) would even say that math is the language of God.