Re: how does math relate to what a nuclear scientist does?

This is a good question. Mathematics is one of the main languages of 
science. The laws of physics, chemistry, and nuclear science, to name some 
of the more mathematically based science disciplines are expressed in 
mathematical formulas.

As a nuclear scientist, I use mathematics every day I work. I use it to:
1. Calculate the amount of a radioactive element I will produce when I put 
a sample in a research nuclear reactor or accelerator such as a cyclotron.
2. Calculate how much radioactive material will be left after a given 
period of time.
3. Calculate how much dose a person exposed to a radiation field will 
receive in a given amount of time.
4. Calculate properties of the nucleus of a radioactive isotope and  
compare them with measured values to learn more about the forces that 
govern the particles that make up the nucleus of an atom.
5. Calculate energy changes when a nucleus is fissioned or split into 
pieces--such as is done in nuclear power reactors.
6. Calculate the values for pieces of equipment to be manufactured to make 
an atom smasher, medical cyclotron, or nuclear reactor.
7. Calculate the amount of an element present during analysis of samples 
such as air, water, oil, soil, or many other materials using the technique 
of neutron activation analysis. 
8. Calculate the age of samples that were alive at one time to about 
30,000 years ago through the radioactive isotope of carbon, Carbon-14 
which is in all living things because it is in the air we breathe. When a 
living organism dies, it stops taking in the Carbon-14, and the amount 
present starts to decay. By carefully measuring the amount of Carbon-14 
the time when the organism died can be calculated. This is called 
Radiocarbon Dating.
9. Mathematics can be used to predict things that may exist so that others 
will know what to look for. In 1950 a nuclear scientist using mathematical 
decay equations and nuclear reactor equations predicted that there were 
naturally occurring nuclear reactors in the earth's surface about 2 
billion years ago. About 30 years later, the remnants of these reactors 
were found in a place called OKLO in Gabon. You can find out more about 
this by searching the web using OKLO as the search topic.

As you can see, practically everything that a nuclear scientist does 
requires the use of mathematics. If you are wondering how much math is 
needed, the best answer is as much as you can take at as high a level as 
you can go. The practical answer is that calculus through differential 
equations would be required for graduate school study in nuclear science 
as a minimum. Much of the specialized mathematics can be reduced to 
equations that can be solved or manipulated with advanced algebra. Most of 
the calculations that I perform can be done on a scientific calculator. 

I am sure that you will hear time and again that you need to take as much 
math as possible. I have taught chemistry from the first course in general 
chemistry, through upper division analytical chemistry, to graduate 
courses in nuclear and radiochemistry. I tell my students that I can 
successfully teach them chemistry (no matter what the level), but I cannot 
teach them the math because I do not have time to do both.

Mathematical ability is not restricted to chemistry, physics, or nuclear 
science. Much information is presented in a mathematical form using 
probability and statistics in the newspaper. A math background will of 
importance in understanding what exactly is being claimed, and how valid 
that claim is. It makes a big difference in the reliability of the claim 
if the number of people as subjects in an experiment or a poll is 10 or 
10,000. You have seen "Four out of Five doctors prefer XYZ". Is that 
statement based on a sample of 5 doctors or 5,000? Which would you rather 
base your decision whether or not to use XYZ--4 out of 5 doctors or 4.000 
out of 5,000? They are both 4 out of 5, but the larger sample of 5,000 
gives more reliable informtion. This is a simple question, but you will 
face many like it almost every day.

One help may be to make math fun and a challenge. I used to enjoy trying 
to figure out what "X" was in math problems, all the way through algebra.

Gool luck in your future studies.