Prize Specifications

Principal Guideline

The SIAM Activity Group on Optimization (SIAG/OPT) Early Career Prize, established in 2018 is awarded every three years to an outstanding early career researcher in the field of optimization for distinguished contributions to the field in the six calendar years prior to the year of the award.

Eligibility

The award recognizes an individual who has made outstanding, influential, and potentially long-lasting contributions to the field of optimization within six (6) years of receiving the PhD or equivalent degree as of January 1 of the award year. The contribution(s) for which the award is given must be publicly available and may belong to any aspect of optimization in its broadest sense.

The contribution(s) for which the award is given may include paper(s) published in English in peer-reviewed journal(s) or conference proceedings, or high quality freely available open source software. The committee expects evidence of independent contribution by the candidate.

The committee may consider exceptions to the six-year rule, for career interruptions or delays occurring, e.g., for child bearing, child rearing, or elder care. The award can be received only once in a lifetime.

Prize Committee

Formation

The recipient will be selected by the SIAG/OPT Prize Committee on the Early Career Prize. This committee will consist of a panel of at least five SIAG/OPT members and will oversee the SIAG/OPT Early Career Prize to be awarded at the next SIAM Conference on Optimization.

The SIAG Chair, in consultation with the other officers, will form a list of at least five SIAG/OPT members to serve on the prize selection committee, will designate the chair, and will submit the list to the SIAM Vice President at Large (SIAM VP) for approval prior to inviting the committee members to serve.

The SIAG officers will seek to ensure a diverse composition of the prize committee in research area, gender, geography, employment sector (industry, national laboratories, universities), and under-represented groups.

Tenure

The term of office will be from the date of appointment until the date of the award.

Rules of Operation

SIAG Officers will solicit nominations for the prize from the general membership of the SIAG/OPT, using SIAM office resources as needed.

The prize committee will follow the ‘best practices’ set out in the SIAM document for Selection Committees. The prize committee will follow the SIAM rules for conflict of interest as posted on the SIAM web site.

If a committee member accepts nomination for the award, the SIAG officers will appoint a replacement upon notification by the committee chair and with the approval of the SIAM VP.

Selection Procedures

Recommendation of the Prize Committee

The Prize Committee will notify the SIAM VP of its selection at least six months prior to the award date. The notification must be accompanied by a written justification and a citation not exceeding 25 words that will be read at award time, and may be listed in the conference program.

The SIAM VP will accept or reject the committee's recommendation within one month of notification.

If the recommendation is accepted, the award presentation will be made according to the procedure below. If the recommendation is not accepted, the SIAM VP and the Prize Committee will select an acceptable individual at least four months prior to the award date.

The Selection Committee has the authority to choose to abstain from giving the award if there is not an acceptable individual, i.e. not enough nominations. If the award is not given, a new Selection Committee will be selected for the next award cycle.^[1]

Notification of Award

The Chair of the Prize Committee will notify the recipient of the award at least four months in advance of the award date.

An invitation will also be extended to the recipient to attend the award ceremony at the triennial SIAM Conference on Optimization to receive the award. The award recipient is expected to attend the award ceremony and to present a conference talk at the meeting about the work for which the award is given.

Description of Award

Award Type

The award will consist of a certificate containing the citation. As part of the award, the recipient will be invited to give a brief plenary talk at the conference. Travel funds will be made available to reimburse the recipient for reasonable travel expenses incurred in attending the award ceremony and giving the talk.

Award Date

The prize is awarded every third year (starting in 2020) at the triennial SIAM Conference on Optimization.

Prize Fund

Since there is no cash award, there will be no prize fund. Travel expenses will be covered by the SIAM Conference on Optimization where the recipient gives an invited presentation.

Award Presentation

The SIAG/OPT Chair and the Chair of the Prize Committee will announce the award at the SIAM Conference on Optimization and present the award to the recipient. An announcement of the award will appear in SIAM News, on the SIAG/OPT website, and in the SIAG/OPT News and Views newsletter.

^[1] An award decision will also be postponed to the next cycle if the number of nominations does not meet the required number to forward to the selection committee. See SIAM Prize Policy for more information.