Since the first MII Report was published in 1996, there have been many changes in the types and scale of challenges that industry and government are facing. For example, the deciphering of the human genome and the availability of molecular dynamics simulations are beginning to transform the pharmaceutical industry. These changes create new opportunities for graduates with backgrounds in the mathematical sciences and computational sciences.
The 2012 report updates MII96 to take into account the changes in the types of industries that are hiring mathematical and computational scientists, the requirements for their jobs, the contributions they make as mathematical or computational scientists to their group’s tasks, and their work environment. It also discusses opportunities and challenges for the mathematical and computational sciences and makes suggestions and recommendations for matching higher education curriculum to the needs of employing institutions.
Acknowledgment: Funding for this report was provided by a grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation.