Exciting careers in ComputerModeling

* How were computer models involved in making this scene possible?

What is it?

How does it work?

Who uses it? What can I do with it?

Where can I learn it?

Ifyou’veevercheckedtheweather,driven

throughthedowntownareaofalargecity,

ordiscussedglobalwarming,thenyou’ve

reliedoncomputermodelstoinformand

guideyou.Computermodelsareused

toinfluencegovernmentdecisionsabout

healthcareandtheeconomy.They’re

usedinresearchandindustrytopredict

everythingfromtheeffectivenessofanew

cancerdrugtothelikelihoodthatyou’llbuy

sneakersinthenextsixmonths.

Computermodelsconsidervarious

piecesofinformation,performcalcula-

tions,andthenreportresults,whichare

oftenvisualizedusingimages,graphs,and

tables.Forexample,topredicttheweather,

thecomputerneedsmanydifferentthings,

includingcurrentwindspeed,temperature,

humidity,airpressure,andsurfacecharac-

teristics(e.g.,land,water,mountains)that

affecttheregioncoveredbytheprediction.

Infact,hundredsofweatherballoonsare

releasedaroundtheworldeverydayto

recordatmosphericinformationforweather

models.

Theweatherforecastmodelmustbe

programmedtoanalyzehowthesethings

interactwitheachother.Howdoesair

withdifferenttemperaturesandhumidity

levelsreactwhensurroundedbyacooleror

warmerenvironment?Whathappenswhen

airataspecifictemperaturepassesover

alargebodyofwateratanothertempera-

ture?Howdodifferentairstreamsflowing

indifferentdirectionsatdifferentaltitudes

affecteachother?Thecomputermodel

calculatesanswerstothesequestions—and

manymore—togiveanaccurateprediction.

Weatherforecastsaretheresultofthese

calculationsandhelpyoudecideifyou’ll

needanumbrella,asweater,orsunscreen

whenyouleaveyourhouse!

Computermodelsareusedinalmost

everyareaofresearchandindustry.By

developingyourmodelingskillsnow,you

willbepreparedformanypossiblecareer

paths.

What isComputer Modeling?

How does it work?

Designingacomputer

modelisthemostimportant

step.Whatpiecesofinformation

willthemodelneed?What

calculationsshoulditperform

withthatinformation?(Youcan

thinkofthemodelasaseries

ofequationsthatrepresentthe

relationshipsbetweenthedata.)

Computermodelingisusedinawidevarietyof

careers.Scientistsusecomputermodelsinevery

fieldofresearch.Designersusemodelstopredict

everythingfromthebestshapeforanewracecarto

thestabilityofbridgesandbuildings.Stocktraders

andinvestmentcompaniestrytopredictstockprices

usingcomputermodels.

Thislistincludesjustafewofthemanyjobsthat

relyoncomputermodeling.Lookinsidetoseemore.

Dataisfedintoa

computermodel,whichthen

performscalculations,often

hundredsorthousandsof

times,topredictwhatwill

happenovertime.

1 2 Theoutputofa

computermodelistypically

thenumericalresultsofall

thecalculations.Images,

graphs,andtablesareused

todisplaythesecalculations.

3

Actuaries

Aerospace Engineers

Astronomers

Atmospheric and Space Scientists

Bioengineers

Chemical Engineers

Drug Designers

Economists

Epidemiologists

Geneticists

Geoscientists

Hydrologists

Materials Scientists

Meteorologists

Microbiologists

Pathologists

Physicists

Political Scientists

Sociologists

Statisticians

Urban planners

Wildlife biologists

What can you do with computer models?

P h y s i c s

Scientistsworkinginphysics-relatedfieldsusecomputermodels

tounderstandtheoriginsandfateoftheuniverse.Theyuse

modelstotestdesignsfornewelectronicdevicesbeforegoing

throughthecostlyprocessofmanufacturingthem.Theydesign

airplanes,rockets,andspacecraft.Theyevenworkforgameand

specialeffectscompaniessothevirtualworldyouexperiencein

3Dgamingandmoviesfeelsasrealaspossible.

Engineer

Computer models help me to design all kinds of machines

and gadgets, including those that produce energy from renewable

sources like wind power.

The blade of a windmill is very similar to an airplane wing, so engineering designs and model results from aviation can be applied to wind energy.

Other Careers in Physics Education AverageJobTitle Description LevelRequired Salary

ElectronicsTechnician

Meteorologist

MechanicalEngineer

SoftwarePublisher(GameDesigner)

Astronomer

Maintain,adjust,calibrate,andrepairelectronic,electromechanical,andhydraulicequipment.

Studytheatmosphere’sphysicalcharacteristics,motions,andprocesses,topredicttheweather.

Research,design,develop,manufac-ture,andtesttools,engines,machines,andothermechanicaldevices.

Analyzeusers’needs,andthendesign,test,anddevelopsoftwaretomeetthoseneeds.

Observe,measure,interpret,anddeveloptheoriestoexplaincelestialandphysicalphenomena.Developtheinstrumentationandtechniquesusedtoobserveandcollectastronomicaldata.

Highschooldiploma

Bachelor’sdegree

Bachelor’sdegree

Bachelor’sdegree

Ph.D.

$40,580

$77,150

$69,850

$79,780

$95,740

windflow

lift drag

windflow

c h e m i s t r y

A protein (in purple) specially designed to bind to DNA is shown here. Using computer models chemists can design molecules to perform many functions.

Other Careers in Chemistry Education AverageJobTitle Description LevelRequired Salary

ForensicScienceTechnician

FoodScientist

MaterialsScientist

EnvironmentalEngineer

ComputationalChemist(DrugDesigner)

Investigatecrimesbycollectingandanalyzingphysicalevidence.

Developneworbetterwaysofpreserving,processing,packaging,storing,anddeliveringfoods.

Researchchemicalsandhowtheycanbeusedinthedevelopmentofnewandimprovedsyntheticfibers,paints,drugs,cosmetics,electroniccomponents,andthousandsofotherproducts.

Developsolutionstoenvironmentalproblems,includ-ingwaterandairpollutioncontrol,recycling,wastedisposal,andpublichealthissues.

Designnewmoleculestosolveproblemsinmedicineandotherfields.Modelatomiclevelbehaviorofmaterialstobetterunderstandfundamentalprinciplesofchemistry.

Associate’sdegree

Master’sdegree

Bachelor’sdegree

Bachelor’sdegree

Ph.D.

$45,320

$53,810

$74,610

$69,940

$68,760

Scientistsworkinginchemistry-relatedfieldsusecomputer

modelstodesignmoleculesthatcaninteractwithourcells.

Theyhelpcompaniesfindrawmaterialslikegold,diamonds,

andoil.Theyhelpmodelclimatechangeandpredictthe

resultsofchangesinregulationsthataffectthecleanlinessof

ourairandwater.Thenewfieldofnanotechnologyrelieson

computermodelstoguidethedesignofobjectsthataretoo

smalltoseeevenwithamicroscope,objectsthatwillulti-

matelyhaveuniqueelectricalorchemicalproperties.

Drug Designer

Using computer models I design molecules that target

specific diseases. Some day, cancer may be cured this way.

h u m a n B e h a v i o r

Other Careers in Human Behavior Education AverageJobTitle Description LevelRequired Salary

Actuary

MarketandSurveyResearcher

UrbanPlanner

Economist

Sociologist

Assesstheriskofeventsoccurringandhelpcreatepoliciesthatminimizeriskanditsfinancialimpactoncompaniesandclients.

Helpcompaniesunderstandwhattypesofprod-uctspeoplewantandatwhatprice.

Developplansfortheuseoflandandthegrowthandrevitalizationofurban,suburban,andruralcommunities.

Conductresearch,collectandanalyzedata,monitoreconomictrends,anddevelopforecasts.

Studysocietyandsocialbehavior,includinghowpeoplereacttothespreadoftechnology,healthepidemics,crime,andsocialmovements.

Bachelor’sdegree

Bachelor’sdegree

Master’sdegree

Master’sorPh.D.

Master’sorPh.D.

$82,800

$58,820

$56,630

$77,010

$60,290

Thefieldofhumanbehaviorcoversawiderangeoftopics

frombusinessmanagementtothestudyofhowthebrain

functions.Somescientistsmodelsocialinteractionsbetween

largepopulationsofpeoplewhileotherscreatemodelsto

helpthempredictthedirectionofthestockmarket.Robotics

designerswhodevelophuman-likerobotsmodelthewaywe

moveandeventhewaywethinkandexpressemotion.

Economist

Corporations and governments use the

information I get from computer models to help the economy

run smoothly.

Wildlife Biologist

B i o l o g y

Other Careers in Biology Education AverageJobTitle Description LevelRequired Salary

LabTechnician

BiomedicalEngineer

Epidemiologist

WildlifeBiologist

CancerResearcher

Preparespecimens,operateautomatedanalyzers,andper-formmanualtestswithdetailedinstructions.

Applyknowledgeofengineering,biology,andbiomechani-calprinciplestothedesign,development,andevaluationofbiologicalandhealthsystemsandproducts.

Investigateanddescribethecausesandspreadofdisease—suchasinfluenzaorcholera—anddevelopthemeansforpreventionorcontrol.

Studyanimalsandwildlife—theirorigin,behavior,diseases,andlifeprocesses.

Conductbiomedicalresearchtodevelopnewpreventivemeasures,drugs,andtreatmentprocedures.

Associate’sdegree

Bachelor’sdegree

Master’sdegree

Ph.D.

Ph.D.

$32,840

$51,350

$56,670

$53,300

$61,680

Scientistsworkinginbiology-relatedfieldsusecomputer

modelstopredictthespreadofdisease.Theyusemod-

elstounderstandhowthebodyworksatmanydifferent

levels,fromthewaybreathingisaffectedbypollutionto

thespecificdetailsofhowanervecellsendssignalsto

thebrain.Biologistsusecomputermodelstodecidewhat

organismstointroduceandwhatchangestomaketo

restoretheenvironmenttoastateofecologicalbalance.

Withthehelpofcomputermodels,hugeamountsofdata

inourgenesarenowbeinganalyzedtobetterunderstand

geneticdisordersandhowtotreatthem.

A map showing regions that have been infested by an invasive species. Biologists will feed this data into a com-puter model that can help test plans for restoring balance to the environment.

Density(yd2) Area%

Uninfested <3 16.4

Threatened 3-8 35.8

Infested >8 18.5

Forested 29.3

Samplelocationsinuninfestedareas.

Computer models help predict the effects

new development will have on habitats and ecosystems.

©2009,TheConcordConsortium,Inc.

ThesematerialsarebaseduponworksupportedbytheNationalScienceFoundationundergrantnumberESI-0737649.

Anyopinions,findings,andconclusionsorrecom-mendationsexpressedinthismaterialarethoseoftheauthor(s)anddonotnecessarilyreflecttheviewsoftheNationalScienceFoundation.

Sourceofinsidetables:BureauofLaborStatistics,U.S.DepartmentofLabor,Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition.(http://www.bls.gov/oco/)

™

I T E S TRI

Answers to question on cover:

How were computer models involved in making this scene possible?

1.Thevideogameusesacomputermodeltoguidethemotionandbehaviorofobjectsonthescreen.

2. Theelectronicsofthegameconsole,theTV,andthesoundsystemweredesignedusingcomputermodels.

3.Thefurniturewasdesignedwithcomputerdraftingtoolsthatallowthedesignertoseewhatanobjectwilllooklikebeforeit’sproduced.

4.Thehealtheffectsoffoodadditivesinthesodaandsnackwerestudiedusingmodelstopredicthowmanypeoplemightexperiencesideeffects.

5.NewmaterialslikethoseintheflatpanelTVweredesignedandtestedusingcomputermodels.

6.Themarketingofthevideogame,food,andclotheswasguidedbycomputermodelsthathelpeddefinetheadvertisingcampaigns,theaudienceofpotentialbuyers,andthepotentialprofitforthecompanies.

Can you think of anything else?

Moreinformationandinteractivemodel-basedactivitiesforteachingsciencecanbefoundathttp://ri-itest.concord.org