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Hi, All, In this issue of the Mathematics Undergraduate Newsletter: Looming Deadlines http://www.math.ucsc.edu/undergraduate/opp/index.html - James Madison University Department of Mathematics & Statistics REU Application Deadline – March 7 Career Center Events http://www2.ucsc.edu/careers/ - New Teacher Interview Techniques K-12 – March 6,13 Upcoming Colloquia http://natsci2.ucsc.edu/semedit/flyer.seminar.html?x=319 Wednesday, March 7 Wednesday, March 14 Course Profile: Math 121A - Differential Geometry The Mathematics Department is offering Differential Geometry in the Spring quarter, taught by Andrey Todorov. Differential geometry is the study of geometry using differential calculus and has many applications in physics. This course discusses Euclidean space, tangent vectors, directional derivatives, curves and differential forms in space, and mappings. It introduces the Frenet formulas, covariant derivatives, frame fields, and the structural equations. The classification of space curves up to rigid motions is discussed, as well as vector fields and differentiable forms on surfaces and the shape operator. The course examines Gaussian and mean curvature, and the Egregium theorem, which describes global classification of surfaces in three space by curvature. The prerequisites for this is course are Math 21 and Math 23B, and either Math 100 or Computer Science 101. Math 105A is strongly recommended as preparation. If you’re business-oriented, self-motivated, love analyzing problems, and you think of exams as challenges rather than ordeals, then you should consider a career as an actuary, a professional who advises businesses about economic risks. The traditional actuary works for an insurance company, settings rates for auto, life, or homeowner’s policies, or calculating how much money a company must set aside now to pay pensions later. “But that doesn’t have to be the case,” says Meredith Lego, market manager for the Society of Actuaries (SOA), a major actuarial trade association. “It’s a position that is convertible into many other industries and functional areas. There are so many different applications for actuaries’ skills sets.” About two-thirds of actuaries work in the insurance industry, where they predict future claims costs. The rest typically work for pension, law or consulting firms, banks, corporations or the government. Actuaries must have a very strong background in mathematics and a working knowledge of finance, accounting, economics, and statistical analysis. Breaking into the field takes a bachelor’s degree in math, statistics, economics, finance, accounting, or actuarial science. Once you have earned your degree, prepare to start studying for long series of exams. Some students take the first of the series before graduation, while others take entry-level jobs and then start the tests. (See "Looming Deadlines" in this newsletter for a note about the PacifiCare Actuarial Internships this summer.) The studying and test-taking process continues for a decade, with most actuaries shooting to pass enough tests to reach the associate-actuary level in five years. Many then go on to work toward achieving “fellow” designation. The first four actuarial exams are joint tests offered by two professional actuarial societies. The Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS) offers exams for property and casualty insurance actuaries. SOA does the same for life and health. Actuaries who do pension work must be enrolled by the Joint Board for the Enrollment of Actuaries. The first part of the SOA and CAS exams covers the same subjects: probability, calculus, statistics, and math. Passing that first hurdle makes it easier to find a higher-paying entry-level job; employers want to hire those with proven test-taking abilities. The test can be very demanding so employers often offer study materials, prep courses, and on-the-job study hours as employee benefits. Undergraduates recruited by The Hartford for its actuarial student program receive those benefits, plus exam-based salary increases. “It does take a lot of personal dedication and time commitment, but it’s definitely worth it, and you usually get great support at your company,” says Anju Arora, an assistant actuary for The Hartford. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts employment growth for actuaries will be as fast as the average for all occupations through 2012. Good bets within the field include property and casualty insurance and positions at consulting firms. Visit http://www.pacificare.com/ to find out more about actuarial summer internships. For more on actuarial careers visit http://www.beanactuary.org. Information about the SOA and CAS exams can be found at http://www.soa.org/ccm/content/?categoryID=214009 and http://www.casact.org/admissions/. Visit http://www.soa.org/ccm/content/?categoryID=1260076 for information on graduate schools that offer actuarial science. Education Abroad Program (EAP) at UCSC Thinking about studying abroad? Consider the Education Abroad Program (EAP), the UCSC official study abroad program. EAP offers over 200 programs in 35 countries for UCSC students of any major. With the exception of Chile and Russia, all countries have at least one program that requires no prior language study. There are many programs to choose from, and you can take courses that count towards your major and GE requirements. For most programs, you must be a junior or senior to participate, but there are many options for sophomores as well. A minimum cumulative GPA at the time of application is required, ranging from 2.5 to 3.0, depending on the specific program. Some departments have pre-approved courses that fulfill major requirements. The math department does not have any pre-approved courses, but this doesn’t mean you can’t take classes for the math major while abroad. Taking classes for the major requires that you have the syllabus for the class you plan to take and meet with the undergraduate advisor. In the past, the math department has approved courses for math majors with EAP programs in Australia, New Zealand, France, England, and Scotland. Most math students take language and culture programs while abroad, which focus on teaching and perfecting language fluency, as well as teaching about the culture and history of the host country. These courses are taken with other UC students in the EAP program. Some of these programs are offered for students without any experience in language, while some are for students with limited knowledge of the second language. The math advisor will help you plan your major requirements around an EAP absence. UCSC financial aid does apply to EAP programs, in fact, students who do not currently receive UCSC financial aid may qualify for aid while on EAP. In many programs, the cost of study abroad is comparable to the cost of UCSC; in some cases EAP will cost less. There are also an abundance of scholarships available to students from UCSC, the host country, and other sources, which are available on the EAP website. Studying aboard requires planning in advance and applying early. Applications are accepted and approved on a rolling basis until the deadline. Selections are made on a first come, first serve basis for qualified students with complete applications. The EAP office holds “Choosing the Right EAP Program” workshops frequently for students to meet with advisors that can help you make your decision. Visit the UCSC EAP website and the UC system-wide EAP website for information about the different programs, workshops, deadlines, scholarships, how to apply, and more --
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