Prize Specifications

Principal Guidelines

The James H. Wilkinson Prize in Numerical Analysis and Scientific Computing, established in 1979, is awarded for research in, or other contributions to, numerical analysis and scientific computing during the six years preceding the award. The purpose of the prize is to stimulate younger contributors (as defined under Eligibility) and to help them in their careers.

The committee will be an ad hoc committee. On the advice of the vice president-at-large, the president will appoint three members, designating one member to be the chair. The appointments should be made at least eighteen months before the prize award date.

Committee members will be members of SIAM.

The term of office of the committee will be from the date of appointment until the date of the awarding of the prize. If the committee reports that no prize can be awarded and this report is accepted by the executive committee of the council, then the committee's duties will be completed.

Selection Procedures

Eligibility

The prize can only be awarded to a researcher who has at most 12 years (full time equivalent) of involvement in mathematics since PhD at the award date, allowing for breaks in continuity, or who in the opinion of the prize committee is at an equivalent stage in their career.

Rules of Operation

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 conflicts of interest as posted on the SIAM web site.

Nominations

The prize committee will report its findings to the president at least seven months prior to the prize award date. The prize committee must select at most one prize winner except in extraordinary cases. Exceptions to this rule must be approved by the executive committee of the council. The nomination for the award must be accompanied by a written justification and a citation of about 100 words that can be read at award time. The president will report these findings to the executive committee of the council.

The executive committee will accept or reject the nomination not later than six months before the award date. The executive committee may seek the advice of the full council.

If the nomination is accepted, the award presentation will be made according to the procedure below.

If the nomination is not accepted, the prize committee may offer a second nomination. However, this must be done so as to allow acceptance or rejection by the executive committee at least five months before the award date.

The Selection Committee has the authority to choose to abstain from giving the award if there is no acceptable individual. If the award is not given for this reason, a new selection committee will be selected for the next award cycle.[1]

Notification Award

The president will notify the recipient as soon as possible and request a lecture as part of the prize ceremony and a manuscript for publication in a SIAM publication.

Prize Award Date

The prize is given every fourth year, normally at the SIAM Annual Meeting. If no prize is awarded, the award date moves ahead four years.

Description of the Award

A $2,000 cash award and a suitable engraved plaque will be presented to the recipient. Reasonable travel expenses to the meeting will be paid by SIAM.

As part of the award, recipients will be requested to present a lecture at the meeting where the award is made.

The Award Presentation

The award will be given by the president of SIAM. The chairman of the prize committee will announce the winner, read the citation, and present the winner to the president.

Announcement of the award will be in SIAM News and in other similar scientific and general periodicals.

[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.