Biomathematics, B.S.

What is a biomathematics degree?

The field of mathematical biology is more specialized than other disciplines, but one that is gaining in popularity with the wealth of data tools and concepts in modern molecular biology. Experimental biology takes apart systems at all levels of the organization to study them in isolation, while dynamic mathematic models use equations to put the pieces back together to study their interactions.

There are only a handful of undergraduate Biomathematics degree programs in the country. Florida Tech's Biomathematics degree program prepares students for careers in fields such as bioinformatics, biomedical engineering, and medicine. You’ll develop a strong background in biology and get hands-on experience in organic chemistry and vertebrate anatomy. You’ll work in both biology and math laboratories, be mentored by biology and math professors, and get hands-on training in biology and math.

Gain Practical Experience

The National Science Foundation supports the Florida Tech Biomathematics degree program, and students are very involved in research, which starts early on in the program.

The academic environment for Biomathematics majors is a typical research environment under the supervision of a faculty member and/or a graduate student. Biomathematics degree students spend most of their time outside of the classroom in the biology or math computer lab working on research or getting ready for a presentation. Nearby natural resources such as the estuarine habitats of the Indian River Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean marine ecosystem are ideal for biomathematical research.

The program is hands-on, modeling-based, and includes lab and field experiments as part of the program. Some of the research may involve applied statistics, mathematical programming, combinatorial optimization, operations research, and queuing theory.

Earn an Advanced Degree

Most Biomathematics majors go on to graduate school in order to be better equipped in this very demanding field, such as master’s and doctoral programs at Florida Tech or at other prestigious universities, such as Johns Hopkins University, Indiana University, Brown University, and University of Tennessee. Many graduates go on to medical school.

Florida Tech is one of just a handful of Biomathematics colleges in the nation, a program offered through collaboration between the mathematics and biology departments. As a Biomathematics college, our focus for the program is to use mathematical, statistical, and computational methods to solve complex biological problems.

 Small Class Sizes and an Internationally Recognized Faculty

Students learn from world-renowned faculty who enjoy working closely with students. We pride ourselves on a low student-to-faculty ratio of just 5:1, a sought-after learning environment. We give our students the type of specialized training they need to design and control biological experiments.

For curriculum and career planning, professors are always available for student advising. The strong working relationship between students and professors gives us the edge over another biomathematics college. With this level of mentorship, our students become accomplished scientific writers and presenters of their research.

Our professors are internationally renowned experts with a wide range of expertise who are involved in meaningful research. Biomathematics students are involved in faculty-run interdisciplinary research beginning in their first year.

High-Tech Laboratories and Facilities

Students have access to the F.W. Olin Life Sciences Building—a 70,000-square-foot teaching and research laboratory that includes an aquaculture facility, climate change institute and the offices and research labs of several of the biology faculty. It houses the Chemistry Department, state-of-the-art instrumentation, and rooms for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometers, photochemistry, glass-blowing, and computational chemistry.

The 29,000-square-foot Harris Center for Science and Engineering serves the research needs of our biology programs and includes teaching and research labs, a 16-workstation computer facility and an electron microscope suite.

In addition to the labs in the Department of Biological Sciences, two computer labs in the math department have sophisticated mathematical and statistical software packages such as MATLAB and SAS.

Location, Location, Location

Florida Tech is the perfect place for a Biomathematics degree. The 130-acre campus is located on the Space Coast (so named because of the presence of NASA and the Kennedy Space Center on Cape Canaveral just north of us), minutes away from the Indian River Lagoon, the most diverse estuary in North America.

The area has the fifth largest high-tech workforce in the country, with more than 5,000 high-tech corporations and government and military organizations located nearby. This workforce also provides a variety of internship and employment opportunities.

Florida Tech is just over the causeway from the Atlantic Ocean with its 72 miles of beautiful beaches, and is a short trip to the Florida Keys or the Orlando theme parks. We also have a rich campus life that includes a wide range of intramural and collegiate sports, clubs, and social activities.

Build Lasting Professional Relationships through Campus Organizations

Beta Beta Beta (TriBeta) is a biology honor society that teaches students from all disciplines about biology and its importance, and recognizes students for outstanding academic achievements. This active group holds events such as guest lectures, as well as social events such as BBQs, fishing outings and more. Membership is the perfect way to network with other biological sciences students to learn about biology internships, research students and hands-on activities.

The Infinity Math Club is for students who are curious to learn more about math and its applications. This club holds regular meetings to discuss different ways of looking at and learning more about mathematics.

Biomathematics students complete research projects in a wide variety of phenomena that can be modeled through mathematics. These projects range widely depending on student interest and ideal biomathematics jobs. Some past projects include:

• Cancer treatment modeling
• Protein interaction
• Coral bleaching
• Infectious disease modeling
• Neuronal activity modeling

These special interest projects allow students to apply the skills they learn in their courses while becoming familiar with the programs and tools used by professionals in biomathematics jobs. Florida Tech students conduct field or lab experiments to create their own data when modeling these complex problems. Biomathematics also demands that students spend extensive time on the computer for simulations.

Peerless Study and Internship Opportunities

Biomathematics majors may participate in unique summer field programs that take them to Costa Rica, Peru, the Caribbean, Australia, the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains, and the African savannah.

Employers seek out graduates with a Biomathematics degree for Florida Tech for internships. Organizations include the American Museum of Natural Science, the Baltimore Aquarium, Epcot, the Florida Medical Entomology Lab, and Sea World.

Stunning Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Research is an ongoing process for Biomathematics students at Florida Tech. By creating intricate models using cutting edge software, you can better understand the issues tackled in real-life biomathematics jobs. Topics of study include:

• Tumor growth models
• Population dynamics
• Fertilization models
• Mutation rates

Students in their senior year are encouraged to attend regional and national undergraduate research conferences to present their findings and create a portfolio for biomathematics jobs.

The research conducted while at Florida Tech gives students specialized training in the biology lab of their research. Each student is trained and mentored to design and control biological experiments. Students are also taught how to write research articles and presentations to prepare them for future biomathematics jobs.

For the last three years (ever since the program started), students from our biomathematics college received Best in Show and President’s Awards in the Florida Tech Student Design Showcase competition. In addition, two of our students were among only nine students nationally who were chosen to present their research at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC.

Biomathematics is an interdisciplinary career that integrates mathematics, biology, and computer science. Florida Tech's Bachelor of Science degree in Biomathematics through the collaboration of the math and biology departments opens up a world of professional opportunity in biomathematics careers.

This degree best suits students who want to answer questions and meet challenges. It's for students that love data and can manipulate different types of information into one interdisciplinary solution.

 Career Outlook

The US Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) publishes a resource called the Occupational Outlook Handbook that provides detailed information about hundreds of jobs, including data about median pay, projected growth in employment, and specifics about what the jobs entail and prerequisites. According to the bureau, job growth for biological scientists is expected to grow more than 20% through 2018.

Biomathematics Careers with a Focus in Math Include:

• Computer programmer
• Computer systems analyst
• Database administrator
• Economist
• Financial analyst
• Mathematician
• Nuclear engineer
• Operations research analyst
• Physicists and astronomer
• Postsecondary teacher
• Statistician
• Survey researcher

Biomathematics Careers with a Focus in Biology Include:

• Agricultural and food scientist
• Biochemists and biophysicist
• Biomedical engineer
• Geoscientist
• Hydrologist
• Marine biologist
• Natural sciences manager
• Pharmacist
• Molecular biologist

Biomathematics Careers with a Focus in Computer Science Include:

• Artificial intelligence
• Software designers and developer
• Computer programmers and database administrator
• Computer and information system manager
• Information security analyst
• Web developer
• Computer network architect
• Network/computer systems administrator
• Management analyst

Graduate and Doctoral Programs

Many biomathematics careers demand graduate level education. You can be confident that your Florida Tech program degree will make you a highly qualified candidate for graduate or doctoral programs. In addition to pursuing a master's or doctoral degree program at Florida Tech, our students attend graduate school at such prestigious institutions as:

• Florida State University
• University of Miami
• University of Florida College of Pharmacy
• University of Louisiana College of Veterinary Medicine
• University of Florida
• University of South Florida
• Johns Hopkins University
• Harvard University
• Columbia University
• California Institute of Technology (Cal Tech)
• George Washington University

Biomathematics careers are challenging, wide-ranging, and rewarding professionally, financially, and personally.