Guidelines for Reimbursement of Invited Speaker Expenses

SIAM has limited funding for conferences and, in some instances, no funding. SIAM does not normally reimburse speakers from industry or Government, but is willing to reimburse expenses for an invited speaker if their employer permits reimbursement for travel and if the speaker has no other source of travel support. We ask that other Invited Speakers attempt to obtain full or partial funding for their conference related expenses from their employers or from grants. Invited speakers do not have to pay the conference registration and are invited on a complimentary basis to all special events held during the conference.

Minisymposium Organizers and Speakers

SIAM does not reimburse Minisymposium Organizers or Speakers, and organizers and speakers are asked to pay the conference registration fee. Minisymposium speakers and organizers attending the conference for more than one day qualify for the SIAM member rate regardless of membership status.

Invited Speakers

Reimbursement of expenses to Invited Speakers are subject to the following terms and conditions:

If necessary, SIAM will reimburse expenses up to $1,500 per speaker traveling within North America, or $2,500 for speakers traveling outside of North America, subject to these guidelines. If the Invited Speakers expenses are expected to exceed these allotted amounts, the Invited Speaker must submit an Additional Reimbursement Request Form [22 KB, PDF] to the SIAM Conference Director for approval no later than six (6) weeks before the conference.

SIAM will provide up to $500 per speaker of a minitutorial for travel expenses, not to exceed $1500 per minitutorial (in the case of 3 speakers, that’s $500 per speaker), plus free conference registration for the speakers.

The most efficient and economical mode of transportation should be utilized. Reimbursement for travel will only be made for the most direct and convenient route from the Invited Speakers principal place of residence to and from the meeting (as long as expenses are within the reimbursement cap).

Air

SIAM will reimburse Invited Speakers for coach fares only. For the best fares, make a flight reservation at least six (6) weeks in advance.

When traveling to the US from abroad, a USA Flagship airline carrier must be used in order to get reimbursed*. In cases where it is less expensive or a hardship would occur from using a domestic US airline, you can be reimbursed for using another airline but the reason that the domestic US carrier was not chosen must be explained. Please review the Fly America Act for additional information.

*This does not apply to Analytic Algorithms and Combinatorics, Algorithm Engineering and Experiments or ACM-SIAM Symposium on Discrete Algorithms.

Train

SIAM will reimburse Invited Speakers for coach fares only.

Automobile

When an Invited Speaker uses his/her own automobile to travel to and from the meeting site, SIAM will reimburse Invited Speakers at a rate of $0.445 per mile. If it is more economical or efficient to travel by air or railroad, the reimbursement for automobile costs will not exceed the air or railroad costs. Rental costs for an automobile will not be reimbursed except in cases in which it is less expensive than local transportation between the airport/train station and the meeting site. Reasonable parking fees at the meeting site will be reimbursed.

Ground Transportation

SIAM will reimburse reasonable ground transportation expenses (limousine, taxi, bus) between the airport/train station and the meeting site. Specially chartered luxury limousine service is not reimbursable.

Hotels

SIAM negotiates a special rate for all attendees at SIAM meetings. You must often make your reservation at least four (4) weeks prior to the meeting to obtain this rate. We will reimburse Invited Speakers for the hotel room only at this special rate. We request that when making the advance reservations at the hotel, and when checking-in, inform the registration desk that he or she is attending the SIAM meeting to avail themselves of the special rate. The number of reimbursable hotel nights should not exceed the length of the meeting plus one night (as long as expenses are within the reimbursement cap).

Meals

Invited Speakers will be reimbursed for reasonable costs incurred for meals in traveling to and from the meeting as well as during the meeting. Excessive food and beverage charges will not be reimbursed (as long as expenses are within the reimbursement cap).

Telephone

SIAM will reimburse Invited Speakers for one phone call to home from the site of the meeting. In cases of emergency, this rule will be waived.

Receipts

Receipts for all expenditures over $25.00 are required.

Reporting of Reimbursable Expenses

SIAM will provide these reimbursement guidelines to the Invited Speakers when the letter inviting the person to speak is sent. Also included will be the "Conference Support & Further Reimbursement Request Form."

Included in the Invited Speaker's package given out at the registration desk will be an expense report form. The expense report must be turned in within two (2) months of the meeting end date in order to be reimbursed. Expense reports received after the deadline will not be reimbursed.

Invited Speaker expenses received prior to the deadline will be reimbursed within four (4) weeks of receipt of the expense report.

Reminders to turn in expense reports will be sent by the Conference Department to Invited Speakers as necessary.

Expense reports received after the deadline will be given to Accounting. The Controller will, at his/her discretion, approve the expense report for payment.

For expense reports denied payment, a letter will be sent by Accounting, signed by the Controller, stating that payment has been denied.