Introducing the New SIAM Activity Group on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

The SIAM Council and Board of Trustees recently approved the formation of the SIAM Activity Group on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (SIAG/EDI). This new SIAG has two complementary objectives:

1. Advocacy and support for EDI in the field of applied mathematics 
2. Discussion and dissemination of best practices that will create and sustain equitable, diverse, and inclusive environments in applied mathematics.

SIAG/EDI has taken shape over the course of several years due to the efforts of many supporters, including more than 200 individuals in the SIAM community who pledged to become founding members. The group is open to all members of SIAM, and we do not expect participants to have extensive experience or expertise with EDI issues. Rather, SIAG/EDI is a forum and space for SIAM members to learn about and become familiar with this important topic.

We note that the term “applied mathematics” in the SIAG’s objectives is intended to broadly encompass the full range of topics and research areas that SIAM promotes, including industrial, scientific, and medical applications as well as cross-disciplinary intersections with computer science, statistics, engineering, the life sciences, data science, financial mathematics, and so forth.

Complementary Themes of SIAG/EDI

Our first objective of advocacy and support for EDI includes the organization of activities that endorse the research and careers of historically underrepresented groups within the broad applied mathematics community. We hope to continue to provide an umbrella for the multiple relevant activities that SIAM already maintains. We also aim to incorporate additional activities—such as EDI-focused panel discussions and special programming like the Hidden Figures events at the 2017 and 2018 SIAM Annual Meetings—and interface with the Association for Women in Mathematics, Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science, National Association of Mathematicians, and other similar organizations.

Our second objective—discussion and dissemination of best practices—involves the development and sharing of resources that will help the community understand barriers to participation in the field, create and sustain diversity and inclusivity in research groups, and foster best hiring practices. These pragmatic tools will target various career stages and include resources to help applicants prepare the EDI statements that are required for some academic positions. SIAG/EDI will focus on career development issues that are increasingly important in the field and assist the broader membership with the cultivation of equitable, diverse, and inclusive environments.

Group Activities

SIAG/EDI activities will be driven by members of the expansive SIAM community, ranging from senior leaders (who are seeking to find and share information on efforts to actively foster EDI within institutions) to newly minted principal investigators (who are building their research groups). Membership will comprise students who are just beginning their journeys in the field and are searching for supportive environments for their career development, as well as more senior persons who can provide such support. We welcome SIAM members at every career stage to join SIAG/EDI.

The SIAG will host gatherings either at the SIAM Annual Meeting or as virtual events, including the SIAG/EDI Business Meeting. SIAG/EDI also looks forward to working with the Diversity Advisory Committee (DAC) on activities such as the long-running Workshop Celebrating Diversity (WCD), which is funded by the National Science Foundation. Furthermore, we plan to implement and host many more activities in the context of SIAG/EDI themes. The following list presents some proposed examples of these ventures:

• Sponsoring special panels and minisymposium sessions at SIAM conferences
• Interfacing with and supporting the EDI activities of other SIAGs
• Hosting online seminars that support the goals of SIAG/EDI
• Generating a website with useful resources for members
• Building cohorts around EDI best practices in various contexts (e.g., job seeking, recruiting, and hiring; leading a research group; writing a diversity statement; and furthering international perspectives)
• Developing mentoring programs, including peer-to-peer programs
• Sponsoring book clubs
• You tell us!

We will soon be sending a poll to SIAG/EDI members to solicit ideas for activities.

Relationship to SIAM Leadership and Committees

The DAC and Vice President for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (VP for EDI) are appointed positions that directly advise SIAM leadership on EDI matters. In the 1990s, SIAM established the DAC to help address policy issues that arise in relation to underrepresented groups. The committee has three main responsibilities: (i) Overseeing the organization of the WCD; (ii) informing the SIAM Council of opportunities to promote diversity within the SIAM community; and (iii) consulting on diversity issues that come to SIAM’s attention through its membership or sponsored activities, such as the collection or management of data that pertains to questions of diversity. The DAC consists of the chair and up to 12 members, including the VP for EDI. Like most SIAM committees, DAC members are appointed by the SIAM President in consultation with the SIAM Secretary and the Committee on Committees and Appointments. 

In 2021, SIAM welcomed Ron Buckmire as its first VP for EDI. The VP is an appointed voting member of the SIAM Council who is involved in the development of SIAM programs and policies that promote EDI, both inside SIAM and within the larger mathematics community.

While the DAC and VP for EDI are appointed positions with important advisory roles, SIAG/EDI is open to everyone in the SIAM community and its leadership is elected by the SIAG members themselves. The group will not directly advise SIAM or any institution per se; instead, it will develop its own member-driven activities that support EDI and the needs of the applied mathematics field. SIAG/EDI will also coordinate closely with the DAC and VP for EDI on events such as the annual WCD and other future programs. 

The initial slate of officers for SIAG/EDI is as follows:

• Chair: Tamara Kolda (MathSci.ai)
• Vice Chair: Juan M. Restrepo (Oak Ridge National Laboratory)
• Program Director: Suzanne Sindi (University of California, Merced)
• Secretary: Carola-Bibiane Schönlieb (University of Cambridge).

Get Involved with SIAG/EDI

SIAM members with a passion for EDI are invited to join SIAG/EDI! Interested persons can register for the group when renewing their SIAM membership this fall, or at any time by going to my.siam.org. Learn more about SIAG/EDI by visiting the website.

Acknowledgments: The author would like to thank Juan Restrepo, Suzanne Sindi, and Ron Buckmire for their contributions to and comments on this article.