Integration of mathematics and communication in physics-intensive workplaces

Although there is widespread agreement on the importance of communication in physics-intensive careers, there is little prior research on how mathematics is integrated into communication. To examine how and what math is communicated in the workplace, we interviewed managers and recently hired employees from optics companies. Using a priori and emergent thematic coding, we found that symbolic math was purposefully hidden in many communication situations to avoid confusion. Alternatively, visual communication through blueprints, diagrams, and visuals of data was widely used across the optics workplace. Spreadsheets were a universal tool for exchanging mathematics through data, formulas, graphs, and calculations; however, different people relied on the spreadsheets for different purposes (e.g., executing calculations or programming formulas). Our data illuminates the value of specific strategies for communicating math and how math is communicated between employees, managers, and clients. These findings suggest the importance of teaching physics majors how to explain mathematical ideas for a variety of audiences and purposes.