[schmittz]

On a related note. Much of applied (primarily solid state) physics, materials science, and the engineerings are now designing new materials for use in many applications. Given the vast possibilities, limited funds, and recent development of powerful mathematical models for simulating systems, many companies and research groups have gone to large scale simulations as the primary means for testing new materials systems and only after discovering the possibilities are these constructed for testing. This means a firm grounding in mathematics (and more specifically these techniques: molecular dynamics, density functional theory, etc.) is headed from "crucial" towards "prerequisite" for people to work in these fields.