Announcing the Newest SIAM Project NExT Fellows

SIAM remains dedicated to the professional development of junior faculty, especially in the areas of teaching and applied mathematics education. The SIAM Activity Group on Applied Mathematics Education (SIAG/ED)—which promotes the advancement and practice of courses, resources, and educational programs in applied math—is specifically committed to this goal. Beyond the efforts of SIAG/ED, SIAM also annually sponsors two Project NExT (New Experiences in Teaching) Fellows. Organized by the Mathematical Association of America (MAA), Project NExT is a professional development program for new or recent Ph.D.s in the mathematical sciences. The MAA website states that the program “addresses all aspects of an academic career: improving the teaching and learning of mathematics, engaging in research and scholarship, finding exciting and interesting service opportunities, and participating in professional activities.” Since the program’s commencement in 1994, the MAA has named more than 1,700 Fellows; in 2020, SIAM began to sponsor two Fellows per year.

Sufficient preparation for the workforce—whether it be an academic or business, industry, or government setting—begins with a solid applied mathematics education. The efforts of junior faculty members are particularly valuable in fostering a lasting appreciation of mathematics and inspiring all students to solve a variety of multifaceted, real-world problems. Unfortunately, not all recent Ph.D. recipients possess the necessary resources or training to thrive in academia and fully support their students. To mitigate this issue, Project NExT provides its Fellows with a robust network of peers and mentors who offer guidance as they settle into their new careers.

During the first year of the Project NExT Fellowship, each cohort partakes in a range of workshops at both MAA MathFest and the Joint Mathematics Meetings (JMM). 2022 workshop topics included time management, vibrant and inclusive communities, the incorporation of modeling in differential equations, classroom orientation around inquiry, and preparation for careers in industry. In addition, the SIAM Project NExT Fellows are strongly encouraged to communicate with the SIAM Education Committee and participate in its various activities, such as organizing SIAM-sponsored events at JMM and MathFest and attending SIAG/ED meetings.

The recipients of the 2023 SIAM Project NExT Fellowship are Sachith Dassanayaka (Wittenberg University) and Alice Schwarze (Dartmouth College). Both Fellows expressed their gratitude to SIAM for the opportunity and are eager to get started.

Sachith Dassanayaka is an assistant professor of data science at Wittenberg University, where he teaches statistics and data science courses for both major and non-major students. He earned his Ph.D. in mathematics with a concentration in statistics at Texas Tech University in the summer of 2022, and his dissertation focused on artificial intelligence algorithms for activity pattern detection in information operation networks. In addition to expanding upon this project, Dassanayaka’s current research interests include data visualization, machine intelligence, computer networks and security, and the analysis of disinformation campaigns on social media via machine learning and natural language processing.

When he was a graduate student, Dassanayaka served as an event coordinator for the Texas Tech University SIAM Student Chapter; in this role, he helped organize events for both the campus and the outside community. As an educator, Dassanayaka now encourages his students to get involved with SIAM in order to maximize their learning. He appreciates SIAM’s sponsorship of his Project NExT Fellowship and looks forward to attending future Project NExT workshops and meetings, ultimately contributing to a more inclusive mathematical community for undergraduate teaching.

Alice Schwarze is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Mathematics at Dartmouth College. She received a B.Sc. in physics and a M.Sc. in theoretical physics from Technische Universität Berlin, and most recently a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Oxford in 2019. Prior to joining Dartmouth College, Schwarze worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Biology at the University of Washington.

Though she initially wanted to become a physicist, Schwarze eventually realized that her passion for building mathematical models extends beyond the realm of physics. In fact, most of her current research involves applications in biology or the social sciences. Schwarze is now at a point in her career where she feels confident in her status as an applied mathematician, and she credits SIAM for helping her realize that mathematics is a way of thinking, rather than just a set of theorems or methods. She is very thankful to have benefited from the SIAM Student Travel Awards program and networking opportunities at previous SIAM conferences.

Schwarze believes that a sound mathematical foundation enables progress on many different research problems in numerous fields, including data science and machine learning. She is especially dedicated to reaching students who are motivated by strong, real-world applications and those who—due to gender, race, or other aspects of their identities—wrongfully believe that they do not belong in the mathematical community. Schwarze is grateful for Dartmouth’s support as she develops an inclusive approach to teaching, and for the training that she will receive as a SIAM Project NExT Fellow.

Candidates who wish to apply for the next round of Project NExT Fellowships must submit a personal statement, research statement, one-page curriculum vitae, and letter of support from their department chair. Eligible applicants must have a recent Ph.D. in mathematics, statistics, math education, or another math-intensive field; a teaching position and experiences, attitudes, ideas, and leadership abilities that would positively contribute to the cohort are also critical. To be considered specifically for SIAM sponsorship, candidates must note their SIAM membership on their applications. An MAA committee makes all final selections. The next application deadline is April 15, 2023 — visit the program’s website for more information.

Even a single exceptional faculty member can have an extensive positive impact within the scientific community. SIAM is glad for the continued opportunity to advance applied mathematics education for the next generation of interdisciplinary problem-solvers.