STEM careers of the future as we celebrate Pi Day

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From Tribune News Service

Pi Day is an annual celebration of the mathematical constant π. Pi is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. The numbers in the date (3/14) match the first three digits of the mathematical constant. For those who are fans of math, technology, engineering and science, let’s take a look at what STEM careers might be popular in our future world.  

Software engineer

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ID Tech, a summer tech program for kids, says that in the future, games, apps and technology in general will be an even more integral part of our lives. Autonomous cars, robots, digital shopping kiosks and similar applications all need software, and that software will need to be programmed and developed by human coders, ID Tech says. Given today's online coding boot camps and other unconventional learning systems, a traditional academic education will not necessarily be a requirement, The Balance notes.

Robot system repair person

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In the future, services like food ordering, obtaining a driver’s license, picking up a prescription and even getting your teeth cleaned, likely will be performed at a kiosk or at an automated service location, ID Tech says. And, realistic-looking hair and skin with embedded sensors will allow robots to react naturally in their environment, likely making humans more comfortable with them. Humans will be needed to keep these artificial beings and systems humming along.

Augmented reality creator

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Virtual reality and augmented reality will radically change the way we live in the future. To escape from reality, we’ll inhabit virtual playgrounds, ID Tech says. Maybe going on vacation won’t even be a thing one day. People will just put on a headset to escape. The same virtual technologies will be used to educate us. There are many jobs in this space, from virtual worlds designer to avatar moderator and manager, ID Tech says.

Autonomous and electrical car engineers

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Electric cars are the future, and those cars will have automated driving systems that will take the responsibility of operating a car out of human hands. We’ll need engineers to design and build vehicles, according to ID Tech, and we’ll also need them to build the autonomous systems and networks that drive cars and route delivery vehicles, public transportation, general traffic and ambulances and firetrucks.

Green power creator

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We must turn to alternate forms of energy to support our growing needs. Solar, wind and water will become increasingly necessary to power our world. The future will need people to find new resources and engineers to develop, test, deploy and repair these systems, ID Tech says.

Drone technician

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In the future, drones will expand far beyond what they are today, and will be used for repairing telecommunication lines, finding people who are lost in remote areas, delivering your Amazon Fresh order and much more. Big tech companies like Facebook and Google are experimenting with solar-powered drone technology to beam Internet to remote locations. This could transform connectivity as we know it, according to the California University of Pennsylvania. The maintenance of drones (and possibly some flight control) will still be done by humans, while engineers will continue to modify and update the flying bots, ID Tech says.

Space exploration

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Travel into space likely will one day become as common as getting on an airplane to visit another city. We’ll need to build spacecrafts and space stations, and specialized dietary and exercise experts will also be needed to help humans deal with life in space, ID Tech notes. Materials specialists, space explorers and engineers will all be working together to help us conquer the challenges of the final frontier.

Future farming

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How we feed the growing world will be vital, and doing so in a sustainable way will become even more important. Vertical farming is one solution, and genetic seed engineers will develop drought and disease-tolerant strains that maximize yield and quality, ID Tech predicts. The Future Farmers of America says that hydrologists will be increasingly needed to protect the environment and promote sustainability while helping supply the world with clean, safe water.

See more at: Tribune News Service

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