Prize Specifications

Principal Guidelines

The Richard C. DiPrima Prize, established in 1986, is awarded to an individual early career researcher who has done outstanding research in applied mathematics (defined as those topics covered by SIAM journals) and who has completed his/her doctoral dissertation and completed all other requirements for his/her doctorate during the period running from three years prior to the award date to one year prior to the award date.

Prize Committee

The prize committee will consist of a panel of three members of SIAM appointed by the president with the advice of the SIAM Council. The president will designate one member to be chair. The appointments will be made at least eighteen months prior to the prize award date.

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

The SIAM office will solicit nominations for the prize from department chairs of the mathematical and related sciences, using SIAM office resources as needed, and from other members of the scientific community who may submit manuscripts on behalf of the scientists.

Selection Procedures

Eligibility

Candidates for the prize must have completed their doctoral dissertations and all other requirements for their doctorates during the period running from three years prior to the award date to one year prior to the award date. The doctorate must have been awarded at least eight months prior to the award date. The requirements for the doctorate must have been equivalent to those for a U.S. doctorate. It is preferable but not necessary that the recipient be a member of SIAM. Selection is based on the dissertations of the candidates. The dissertations must represent topics of applied mathematics (defined as those topics covered by the SIAM journals). They must be submitted in English. An English translation is acceptable.

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 eight months prior to the award date. The prize committee must select at most one prize winner. The nomination for the award must be accompanied by a written justification and a citation not exceeding 25 words that can be used for a certificate and read at award time.

The president will report these findings to the Executive Committee of the SIAM Council. That committee will accept or reject the nomination at least six months prior to the award date; it may seek the advice of the SIAM 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 prior to 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 of the Award

The president will notify the recipient of the award at least four months in advance of the award date and invite the recipient to attend the next annual meeting of SIAM to receive the award, normally in July of that year.

Prize Award Date

The prize is awarded every even year at the annual meeting of SIAM (normally in July). If no prize is awarded, the award date is moved forward two years.

Description of the Award

The award will consist of:

• A certificate containing the citation.
• A cash award of $2,000. Reasonable travel expenses to the annual meeting will be paid by SIAM.

Award Presentation

The president will announce the award at the SIAM annual meeting, and present the award to the recipient if the recipient is present. The recipient need not be present to receive the award.

The announcement will appear in SIAM News and be distributed for publication in other suitable media.

Prize History

The Richard C. DiPrima Prize is established to commemorate a former president of SIAM who also served SIAM for many years as a member of its council and board of trustees, as vice president for programs, and as a dedicated and committed member. The prize was proposed by Gene H. Golub during his term as president of SIAM.

[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.