For the BBC, Folha and Valor, the age of mathematicians has arrived

18/03/2024

The study ‘Contribution of Mathematics to the Economy’, by the Itaú Social Institute in partnership with IMPA, continues to be highlighted in the press. BBC Brasil, Folha and Valor Econômico covered the study’s main themes and the growing market demand for professionals in the area.

In the article ‘Why universities and companies are competing for mathematicians in Brazil’, the BBC points out that these professionals “are valued because they have skills that go far beyond doing calculations and difficult math. They also develop an ability to think about problems abstractly and go out in search of solutions. But the number of people training in these areas in Brazil doesn’t seem to be meeting the demand,” says an excerpt from the article.

The text also emphasizes that the income of employees linked to mathematics makes up 4.6% of Brazil’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), while in France, for example, the share of professionals reaches 18%.

The director-general of IMPA, Marcelo Viana, was interviewed for the article and emphasized that mathematical sciences are fundamental to the development of new technologies.

“Algorithms, data science and related fields are progressing rapidly because they are increasingly present in everyday life, in the products and software we use, as a major factor in the economy,” explained Viana.

Cristina Caldas, director of science at the Serrapilheira Institute, argues that more public and private stimulus is needed to expand training in the area.

“Initiatives that show how mathematical models, algorithms and the like are behind major advances that meet current demands, such as the fight against epidemics and progress in computing,” said Caldas.

The text also points to differences in salaries between professionals who pursue a degree and those who opt for research, engineering or executive positions in public companies. “The low salaries paid to those who work in the classroom mean that fewer mathematicians pursue a degree,” said IMPA’s director-general.

Valor: Brazil needs to take a closer look at math teaching

In ‘Valor Econômico’, the opinion article by Eduardo Saron, president of the Itaú Foundation, ‘The power of mathematics for employment and equity’ draws attention to the need for Brazil to take a closer look at the teaching of mathematics if it wants to combine economic development with a reduction in social inequalities.

The text also highlights how mathematics, which is in high demand in a world driven by innovation and technology, is a determining factor in increasing workers’ incomes, creating more stable, skilled and resilient jobs and boosting the country’s GDP.

Based on the study, the text highlights that the challenge of improving these indicators begins in elementary school, a stage of education in which Brazil performs poorly in mathematics.

All is not lost

In the article ‘Yes, math is for you’, in Folha de S. Paulo, the president of the Sidarta Institute, Ya Jen Chang, shows that math is unconsciously present in everyone.

According to Ya Jen Chang, it’s important to clarify that the concepts of the subject go beyond school mathematics, which is about endless tables and memorizing formulas. She argues that it is necessary to talk about mathematics as the science of patterns, seeing patterns in routine, at work, at school and in the family.

She also brings up cases of professionals who, even if they aren’t mathematicians, use math routinely, such as a great salesperson. “who reads the profile of their customers – age, gender, leisure habits, profession, lifestyle, children – in order to offer the right product for each person’s behavior pattern. Families with newborns will certainly have different items on their wish lists than older people,” explains the president of the institute in the article.

Ya Jen Chang concludes by reinforcing the idea that yes, if you still think you weren’t born for math, it’s time to review these concepts.

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