Trends & Growth Opportunities For Science Students

If the 4.6 billion years of earth's history is compressed into 24 hours, humans have been around since 11:59 PM - merely a minute. In that one minute, the pace of scientific discoveries has changed the planet's landscape. These scientific breakthroughs have deepened our understanding of the world as we know it. From the invention of the wheel to the world we see through our electronic screens - it's all science.

The world has seen several celebrated scientists contributing to these breakthroughs. One such is the genius CV Raman, who on 28 February 1928, published his findings about a phenomenon called the Raman Effect. To commemorate the day, the Government of India designated 28 February as National Science Day in 1986.

On this Science Day, let's look at the trends and courses on their way to changing the world and the growth opportunities for the students pursuing these courses. 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning - A branch in Computer Science that deals with the intelligent behavior of machines - AI has already created quite a buzz in this decade. The use of AI in image and speech recognition, navigation and smartphone assistants, is on a drastic rise. The AI market is estimated to grow to a $190 billion industry by 2025. There is a fear that AI will bring about another wave of job displacement, but AI and Machine Learning, another subset of AI, have and will create novel jobs requiring skills and training with no precedents. AI has created jobs, like: Artificial Intelligence Specialist, Data Scientist, Data Engineer, Big Data Developer, Analytics Specialist, Data Consultant, Insights Analyst and Business Intelligence Developer.

The estimated salary range for these job roles is $110,000 to $150,000. 

Cyber Security - As we make technological advancements, we are more prone to threats and attacks from malevolent hackers, trying to illegally access data. It has created an increased need for the toughest security measures to defend against those hackers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the employment of information security analysts is projected to grow 35 per cent from 2021 to 2031. The growth in demand for cybersecurity professionals has also led to an increase in salaries. According to data from the BLS, the median annual wage for Information Security Analysts was $102,600 per year in 2021. Some of the promising career paths for students are: Ethical Hacker, Malware Analyst, Security Analyst and Chief Security Officer.

Biotechnology and Healthcare - Life Sciences Sector is rapidly changing due to advancements in technology and research. A few significant trends in the field are: 

- Personalised medicine involves using a patient's genetic information to develop personalised treatment plans. 

- Use of artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse vast amounts of medical data, which can help doctors make more informed decisions and improve patient outcomes. 

- Development of new vaccines, therapies and medical devices, such as 3D-printed organs. 

These advancements have led to a growing demand for biotechnology and healthcare professionals, creating numerous job opportunities. According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS), employment of medical and health services managers is projected to grow 32 per cent from 2019 to 2029. The BLS also reports that the employment of medical scientists is projected to grow 6 per cent from 2019 to 2029. Some job roles in this field are: Microbiologist, DNA Analyst, Biomedical Engineer, Process Engineer, Pharmaceutical Consultant, Biostatistician, Bioprocess Engineer and Biotech Research Scientist.

Internet of Things (IoT) - It is a network of physical objects/devices that are connected to the internet and able to collect and exchange data. These objects can be anything from smart home appliances, wearable technology, vehicles & industrial machinery, to sensors and other devices used in several industries. It has the potential to transform numerous industries, increasing efficiency, productivity and convenience. For example, a smart thermostat connected to the IoT can learn a household's temperature preferences and adjust the temperature accordingly, or a connected car can gather data on traffic patterns to optimise its route. As more devices become connected to the internet, it becomes more important to ensure that they are secure. Some job roles created in the field are: IoT Engineer, IoT Developer, IoT Analyst, IoT Architect and IoT Security Specialist.

According to data from Glassdoor, the average salary for an IoT engineer is $98,618 per year in the United States, while the average salary for an IoT developer is $84,076 per year. IoT analysts earn an average salary of $79,751 per year, while IoT architects earn an average salary of $116,133 per year. IoT security specialists earn an average salary of $95,353 per year and IoT project managers earn an average salary of $88,841 per year.

Science is the pursuit of knowledge; changing the world around us and creating the 'jobs of tomorrow.'

Ankit Mehra

Guest Author The author is the Founder & CEO, GyanDhan