Karl Rudnick is a senior scientist in the Technology Research Group of Science Applications International, Corp. (SAIC), an employee-owned company with locations nationwide. His group is in San Diego, California, usually working on projects in small teams of two - four people. The majority of the projects are defense-related but SAIC is acquiring more and more commercial work each year. Since joining SAIC in 1989, he has worked on problems in signal processing and image processing.
"I am usually one of the technical leads on a project. My primary responsibilities are in the areas of algorithm (detection, classification, tracking) design, specification, and simulation. Besides a lot of math, physics, and engineering, we produce software and I have had a lot of experience in designing, documenting, writing, and maintaining software over the last 16 years, first at The Aerospace Corporation and later at SAIC."
"Mathematics, as the basic language for science and engineering, is of course indispensable at SAIC. The primary leaders in our organization are those who are very strong in mathematics and associated analytic skills (even if they weren't mathematics majors). Having a wide array of mathematics tools at your fingertips is paramount. In this highly technological society of ours things don't work unless the mathematics is correct -- most people in my business realize that."
"There really is a myriad of little (and some not so little) problems out there that constantly need solving. Recently, we had to devise an algorithm which required the 2-d Green's Theorem. The non-math types in our group had no idea what this was (or they had some vague recollection from vector calculus). They thought it was pretty neat that we could get the computer to spit out the area and centroid of a simple polygonal closed curve by only knowing the boundary coordinates! Little problems like this arise naturally every day in industry, and without some ability in mathematics -- or, more accurately, mathematical thinking -- they might appear hopeless."
Karl has a B.S. in mathematics from Harvey Mudd College and a Ph.D. in mathematics from Caltech. He originally joined the faculty at Texas A&M University, but after four years interviewed with The Aerospace Corporation on a lark. "I found the company was doing lots of interesting things," he recalls, "and definitely needed mathematicians."
Karl found many differences going from an academic position to industry, but most of them he believes are for the better. "Although industry jobs are much less secure than a tenured position -- you could be gone in two weeks if you don't perform -- you always know where you stand. The insecurity of a project is actually quite exciting and provides a great deal of motivation to succeed, not only as an individual but for the other members of the project and the company. I feel I now have much more mobility within the high-tech world of signal processing and software than I did within academic mathematics."
After nearly 10 years at Aerospace, he wanted to try doing things for himself rather than looking over a contractor's shoulder. "The contractor's seemed to all be working hard and having fun," he recalls. "A project at SAIC starting up in 1989 needed some new people. One of my classmates (a SAIC Division Manager) from Harvey Mudd who knew I liked working at Aerospace asked me if I wanted to try out SAIC."
When asked about preparing for a career as an applied mathematician, Karl voiced the belief that all mathematics courses are valuable. "Perhaps not for their direct applicability," he adds, "but for the way in which mathematicians in general are taught to analyze and solve problems. For my work, peripheral courses in digital signal and image processing, stochastic processes, detection theory, decision theory, are all valuable assets -- a minor in EE would be interesting. However, I find that anyone with a solid foundation in mathematics can pick these things up by reading."
"Also, take English, do a lot of writing, and even consider speech and debate. Presenting your ideas to a technical (and sometimes non-technical) audience is important. All the leaders in my organization are effective writers, especially in the exposition of technical ideas."
"However, I would advise any mathematics student to avoid shaping his/her college experience towards getting a job in industry. College is the period in your life where you have the time and the perfect atmosphere for languishing in mathematics. Take advantage of the opportunity. If, later, you wish to pursue a job in industry, you will have the right foundation."
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