Abstract: Problem framing, actionable results, and clear communication are key industry skills a mathematics degree helps build. These skills matter more, not less, in today's AI-driven world. To illustrate from a technical perspective, we'll discuss the mathematics behind measuring student learning, with a focus on the challenge of transferability between learning systems, an open problem in learning analytics that my team made progress on. From a broader industry perspective, I’ll share tips for marketing your mathematical know-how, matching your strengths to the problems needing solutions, and turning tasks into growth opportunities. The through-line? Keep transferring your skills into new problems and environments and grow while you do it.

Bio: Angie Gonzalez has worked in industry since graduating with a PhD in mathematics from the University of Arizona in 2018. She moved from the defense sector to EdTech, where she leads a data science team. Her academic training, both technical and non-technical has served as an asset for shaping her professional skills and leadership roles. 

Workshops and Lightning Talk

Friday, September 25, 2026

Workshop Session 1: 10:15AM-10:45AM
Lightning Talk: 11:00AM-12:15PM
Workshop Session 2: 2:00PM-2:30PM
Workshop Session 3: 2:45PM-3:15PM

Workshops / Industry Job Readiness Workshops Led by IAB Members
4 concurrent workshops, 30 minutes each

Workshop Title: Coupling Mathematics and AI for Workplace Problem-Solving

Speakers: IAB Past Chair Andrew Gillette (Computational Mathematician, Lawrence Livermore National Labs)  and IAB Member Ashley Anhalt (Director of Data Science, Genworth Financial)

Description: Mathematicians are great at critical thinking and framing vague questions into precise statistical, analytical, or modeling tasks; AI tools are great at following precisely phrased prompts. Partnering human mathematical thinking with AI suggestions and task execution is an essential skillset for staying competitive in the current job market. In this session, we will present real-world problems from industry and government research, and brainstorm how to pair mathematical expertise with AI tools to produce accurate solutions in a timely fashion.

LOCATION: ENR2, S215

Workshop Title: Aiming Your Job Pitch

Speakers: IAB Member Teri Suzuki (Senior Principal, Belltree Consulting, LLC) and IAB Member Brie Finegold (Mathematician, Rincon Research Corporation)

Description: Companies want employees with mathematical skills but do not always recognize which skills are applicable to their problems and domains. Practice communicating your relevant skills with Industry professionals who will provide feedback on an elevator pitch that you create. We will provide job descriptions for you to look at and pitch to as well as examples of "good" and "not-so-good" pitches. Use all the tools at your disposal (including AI) to shape your research accomplishments and skills into a tailored elevator pitch. Please bring a CV or résumé as this will be an interactive workshop.

LOCATION: ENR2, S217

Workshop Title: History and Postulation: How AI & Machine Learning are Changing Industry Work

Speakers: IAB Member Bridget Kennedy (Principal Scientist, AeroVironment) and IAB Member Dan Champion (Experimental and Design Physics, Lawrence Livermore National Labs)

Description: In this workshop we will explore several technology transformations, paradigm shifts, and computing advancements from history that resulted in fundamental changes in the way the mathematical sciences were used in industry. The goal is to postulate about how AI/ML will change math in industry in the coming decades. 

LOCATION: ENR2, N595

Workshop Title: Demystifying Agentic AI: Tool Calling, Skills, and Modern Architecture

Speakers: Chair Kyle Pounder (Chief Technology Officer, Wealth, Inc.) and IAB member Toby Shearman ( Senior Machine Learning Engineer, Woven by Toyota)

Description: Beyond prompt engineering lies the world of agentic AI: building systems that can reason, iterate, and act. This session demystifies how modern AI agents function under the hood. We will explore the concept of tool calling, define how "skills" scope an agent's capabilities, and examine how the Model Context Protocol (MCP) establishes a clean architecture for connecting data to intelligence.

LOCATION: ENR2, S225

Lightning Talks & Panel Discussion with IAB Members
11:00AM-12:15PM 
LOCATION: ENR2, S107

Join us for introductions from three new Industry Advisory Board Members who will share a Lightning Talk about their experiences with math in industry and also some important from the UA College of Science Career Center:

Lightning Talks:

Perspective Shift: Moving from Math Problem Solver to Leader, Speaker: Carolyn Lanswer, Rincon Research Corporation

Using Large Language Models to Build Metrics, Speaker: Jefferson Taft, Microsoft

Being Dense and Embedded: The Mathematics of Natural Language Processing in Industry, Speaker: Gleb Zhelezov, Two Six Technologies

Resources for Industry Careers, Speaker: Lyndsey Edmonds, UA College of Science Career Center