Lack of financial support thwarts the careers of many young mathematical scientists. Not only is there a lack of sufficient postdoctoral fellowships for new doctorates in the mathematical sciences, but few young researchers are successful in obtaining research grants. This lack of support, especially when compared with support for young researchers in the physical, biological, and engineering sciences, discourages young mathematicians, many of whom have left academia for Wall Street and other nonacademic fields. This loss of young researchers has the potential to undermine future U.S. strength in the mathematical sciences. The poor communication between the university and industry cannot be blamed exclusively on either party.
Academic mathematics is an intense, focused, and sometimes solitary intellectual activity.
By contrast, mathematical scientists in industry tend to work in teams, usually addressing analytical challenges rather than developing new concepts. This situation, which evolved in an era when mathematics was much less pervasive in industry and less central to economic competitiveness than it is today, makes it difficult for academic mathematicians to contact their industrial counterparts. It is clear that both industrial and academic mathematics must reach out to one another if the two are to interact effectively . Industry could enhance communication by organizing its mathematicians so they can be easily identified and contacted by their university colleagues. Academic mathematicians will have a larger perspective of their discipline if liaisons can be developed between industry and academics, as exists in chemistry, pharmacology, and engineering.