Theoretical vs Tangible

Posted by Braden

I was asking my math professor a question today during his office hours, and we got to talking. He was really surprised to find out that this is my first math class since high school (partly because it's Math 343, and partly because I've been doing so well in the class). Then I got a letter this week inviting me to the Mathematics Undergraduate Recognition Dinner, "based on the recommendation of [my] professor." (I'm excited for it—they're going to have free food and a "mathemagics" show!)

My professor said that I should definitely get a math minor, like I'm planning on doing, and maybe even a math major, since it comes so easily for me. I don't think I will (I just need a degree; experience and results in the places I work will be what actually get me places), but it was nice to hear. And it's true that I do prefer the computational part of science. I find the manipulation of numbers to be really satisfying. Studying inferential statistics in my high-school AP statistics class was really exciting, too.

While optimization in mechanical engineering requires number-manipulation out the wazoo, I find actually working with physical parts to be frustrating—everything is so inexact and variable! It makes me wonder every once in a while if I'm really in the right major, but I think I am. I'll just select a job or branch of mechanical engineering that deals more with computer models and simulations and have somebody else go through the pain of actually creating the tangible representations of my models. Unfortunately, to get my undergraduate degree, I need to go through those pains myself as I take all the classes on manufacturing and machining—gross!