SIAM Criteria for Fellows
For the short list of eligibility rules that cover years of membership and time in the profession, see: http://www.siam.org/prizes/fellows/eligibility.php.
This guideline is intended to provide some more general information for someone interested in making a fellows nomination. It intends to provide general background on things to consider when making a nomination and is followed by some guidelines on writing letters.
SIAM designates as Fellows of the Society certain members who have made outstanding contributions to fields served by SIAM and the communities we represent.
Research excellence is one criterion for selection, but it is not meant to be the only one. The Fellows program is also intended to recognize excellence in industrial work (which might or might not involve traditional research), excellence in educational activities that reach a broad audience, or other forms of excellence directly related to the goals of SIAM.
Helpful Guidelines When Considering a Nomination
While the rules for fellows are posted above, the following categories, with questions under each, are intended to provide some guidance to those writing nominating packages.
Contributions to the field may be made in variety of ways, depending on the individual’s type of employment and professional emphases. The following are listed as guidelines to assist the preparer of nominating materials.
Note: Candidates may have relevant qualifications in more than one of the areas listed below, but one may suffice.
Practitioner
For people working outside academia, publications may not be their primary contribution. In this case, a nomination should describe the contributions of the individual to advancing the discipline through other means. The kinds of question one might address include:
- What product development, advancement in systems, application or operation, project management, process development, manufacturing innovation, or other application of technology was the direct result of the nominee's personal effort? (Typically this would involve a significant application of mathematics or computational science.)
- Has the individual made an innovation, creativity, and importance of the development, advancement or application of applied mathematics or computational science that can be described?
- Can one list the most important tangible and verifiable evidence of the nominee's contributions and, if pertinent, relevant significant technical publications?
- Where a team effort was involved, can one identify and document the specific technical contributions of the nominee?
- One should be able describe and verify the lasting impact of the nominee’s contribution.
Educator
Some of the following questions may be relevant if considering someone whose contributions have been in education:
- What impact has the nominee had on education in the fields of interest to SIAM?
- What unique and innovative curricula or courses has the nominee personally developed? What innovative and unique contributions has the nominee made to education as an administrator in fields relevant to SIAM?
- Has the nominee written a pioneering text in his/her field?
- What impact have these innovations had? What is the range of acceptance—local, regional, or worldwide?
- What is the lasting impact of these efforts on education in fields relevant to SIAM?
Researcher
For many SIAM members, research is a major part of their contributions to the field. The following questions are relevant:
- What discoveries or advances in the state of the art made by the nominee indicate innovation, creativity, and importance of the nominee's research in fields served by SIAM?
- Can one highlight a few relevant papers published in refereed journals and other tangible and verifiable evidence and explain the significance of the nominee's accomplishments? (The CV should contain a more comprehensive list.)
- Where a team effort was involved, can one identify and document the specific technical contributions of the nominee?
- What is the lasting impact of the nominee's contributions?
Technical Leader
For people outside academia, technical leadership may be a major part of their career. Consider the following questions:
- What outstanding engineering application or scientific accomplishments resulted from a managerial, team, or company-wide effort that was led by this nominee?
- Can one explain the technical innovation, difficulties and risk involved, and how this made an impact? [The nominee's organizational position, while important, should not be used as the sole evidence of achievements or technical contribution.]
- Can one describe and verify the specific technical contributions that the nominee made which made the achievement possible? How did applied mathematics/computational science play a role in this effort?
- What is the lasting impact of the nominee's contribution?
Service to SIAM or its Community
For some individuals, service to the community may be a primary accomplishment. This may apply, for example, to people serving in funding agencies or other government positions. Outstanding service to SIAM and applied mathematics/computational science community includes projects, innovative programs and leadership roles taken to advance the discipline and its application through SIAM and other scientific, trade, professional and technical society activities. One should be able to specify the nature, duration and significance of major efforts.
- Can one highlight a few major SIAM and other technical society offices held. The CV should contain a comprehensive list along with dates, including committee/board memberships, SIAG and Section activities, special assignments (editor, conference organizer, etc.).
- Are there significant service awards, membership in honor societies, Fellow or comparable grades held in technical societies, educational, government and international awards?
- Has the person made a significant impact on the professional development of individuals in the fields served by SIAM through accomplishments like educational programs and courses, curriculum development and innovation, textbook publication and acceptance, administrative and teaching excellence?
- Of special note are activities to advance the field of applied mathematics or computational science and/or the profession.
For more information
Frequently Asked Questions about Nomination Procedures
SIAM Fellows Program Specifications [PDF, 90KB]
Contact the Fellows Team at [email protected]
Contact Executive Director Jim Crowley at [email protected]
