Prize Policy

SIAM awards prizes to increase the prestige of applied mathematics, to draw attention to it, to encourage research of high quality in it, and to honor those who make outstanding contributions towards these ends.

The number of different prizes, and the frequency of award of each prize, shall be such that each award can receive suitable publicity and each prize winner can be given a well-publicized opportunity to lecture on the work for which the prize is awarded.

SIAM Major Awards: SIAM Major Awards are SIAM-wide awards approved by the SIAM Council. Many offer a cash prize based upon a prize fund created by a major donation. Some Major Awards are offered jointly with other societies. SIAM Major Awards are decided upon by a selection committee appointed by the SIAM President. Major Awards are in most cases awarded at the SIAM Annual Meeting.

SIAM Activity Group Prizes: SIAM Activity Group Prizes are prizes created by an activity group (and approved by the SIAM Council). Activity Group Prize winners are chosen by a selection committee appointed by the Activity Group Chair and approved by the SIAM Vice President-at-Large. Activity Group Prizes are usually awarded at the Activity Group's meeting.

Establishment and Discontinuation of Prizes

A prize can be established or discontinued only by action of the Council and of the Board of Trustees. Each prize must have associated with it a written "Prize Specification," which contains the elements listed below, and which must also be approved by the Council and the Board.

1. Any SIAM-sponsored prize that receives less than three new or updated nominations to an open call for nominations will not be awarded in that cycle. In the case that the prize is skipped for one cycle, all nominations that were received and remain eligible will be carried forward to the next cycle.

   Only nomination packages that satisfy the requirements in the call will be considered.

   Rules for carryforward nominations are as follows:

   1. Any nomination package that satisfies all eligibility requirements will automatically remain active for two consecutive cycles of the prize. A package will be retired if it is selected for the award or after its second cycle.

   2. Nominators may update the nomination after the first cycle, though updates are not required for further consideration. 
2. Any SIAM-sponsored prize (including SIAM Activity Group Prizes) which fails to receive sufficient nominations for consideration, as described in 1 above, for two consecutive cycles will be terminated as a SIAM-sponsored prize.
   1. The Major Awards Committee (MAC) will conduct the final review and make a recommendation for termination to the SIAM Council in such cases. 

Approved by SIAM Council on December 16, 2025.

No award or other recognition of scientific achievement, professional service, or the like shall be awarded by any SIAM organization or affiliate without prior approval by both the SIAM Major Awards Committee and the SIAM Council of the award criteria, the method of selection of recipient(s), the nature of the award, and all other related matters. Furthermore, the financial aspects, if any, of each award must have the prior approval of the SIAM Board of Trustees.

Prize Committees

The SIAM President appoints the members of the individual prize committees. The SIAM Vice President-at-Large is responsible for seeing that the various prize committees function smoothly, for advising the President about appointments to the prize committees, for considering suggestions of new prizes, and for soliciting suggested nominees for the President's Medal of Science.

The SIAM Council shall be informed of the membership of the various prize committees.

Prize Specifications

Each SIAM Prize has associated prize specifications with included required materials for submitting a nomination. Specifications may be updated by the present committee for the particular prize and submitted for approval by the SIAM Council and the Board of Trustees. Specifications must consist of at least the following:

1. Establish a Committee for the Prize
   1. The procedure to be used in forming a committee to award the prize.
   2. The committee's tenure.
   3. The committee's rule of operation.
2. Procedure for Determination of Prize Winners
   
   1. Eligibility requirements (for example, membership in SIAM, year PhD awarded, etc.)
   2. Guidelines for the determination of a winner of a prize (for example, "For an outstanding contribution to applied mathematics in the highest and broadest sense" [Wiener Prize] or "for outstanding research or other contributions that bridge the gap between mathematics and applications" [Kleinman Prize]).
   3. Procedure for recommending an awardee and procedure if the recommendation is not approved by the Executive Committee of the SIAM Council (see below). In all cases, the procedures should include preparation of a written justification with each recommendation of a potential prize winner.
3. Description of the Award
   
   1. The type of and specifications for the award (certificate, medal, money, etc.). In the case of a financial award, guidelines for determining the amount (e.g., whether it should be limited to income received from the prize fund).
   2. Frequency of the award and/or guidelines in general terms on when to award it, including what to do if no qualified candidates can be found.
   3. Obligations to SIAM of a recipient (e.g., present a lecture).
4. Prize Fund
   
   1. Guidelines on the principal amount of the prize fund (lower limits).
   2. Guidelines and procedures for adding to the prize fund.
5. Procedure for Awarding the Prize and Informing the Membership

Procedure for Reporting of Recommendation for a Prize

The selection committee for a Major prize will present their recommendation and a written justification of that recommendation to the SIAM President and/or Executive Committee of the Council for approval.

The selection committee for a SIAG prize will present their recommendation and a written justification of that recommendation to the SIAM Member-at-Large for approval.