Colloquium, 3/15/2013

Cost Estimating and Analysis: An Excellent Career Option for Math Majors

Dr. Christian Smart

Director for Cost Estimating and Analysis
Missile Defense Agency

3:00 Friday, 15 March 2013
Shelby Center 218

Abstract

Cost Estimating and Analysis is a career field that entails translating technical requirements into funding requirements. A sub-specialty of Operations Research, this is an area of applied mathematics in which math majors can put their skills to good use. Cost is an important consideration in all senior-level decisions, as all projects have to answer two fundamental questions: whether or not a proposed design will meet the requirements; and whether or not a proposed design is affordable.

In this presentation, the author describes the career field, the education requirements, and some examples of applications of mathematics to estimating and analyzing cost. The author, who graduated from UA Huntsville in 1996 with a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics, and has worked as a cost estimator for NASA and the Department of Defense for most of the years since, recounts his experiences with Cost Estimating and Analysis, his other work experiences, and why he recommends this as a career field for math majors seeking to apply their knowledge in industrial and government settings.