Please note that letters of recommendation should be no longer than two pages. All letters must adhere to the standards outlined in the Nomination Procedures.
You are writing to the Fellows Selection Committee; do not assume they are experts in the candidate’s field. The letter should explain to the selection committee why a candidate merits becoming a SIAM Fellow. Carefully describe the candidate's accomplishments. The selection criteria includes guidance on what to consider for a nomination.
Writing A Letter of Nomination
In under two pages, describe the technical and professional accomplishments that place your candidate in the top 3% of SIAM members. Since the data contained in the nomination package is the Fellows Selection Committee's key source of information on the candidate, it is essential that the qualifications be described thoroughly, concisely and objectively, explaining the significance of the candidate's accomplishments within the discipline and for the community we serve.
- Describe what the candidate accomplished. Consider questions raised in the guidelines and remember that the CV will have comprehensive lists. The goal of the letter of nomination is to provide the committee some understanding of the significance of the candidate’s accomplishments. Achievements related to applied mathematics and/or computational science may be theoretical or practical, involving innovative mathematical results or applications which advance the state of the art. While it may be more difficult to document team or company efforts and the contributions of practitioners because of commercial or governmental restraints on publication, the nominator is obliged to try to induce the nominee's organization to release sufficient information to document these contributions. The nominator should specify the subfield within the discipline in which the contribution was made. Indicate originality and creative aspects of the work and/or how the candidate's technical leadership resulted in new concepts, software, or other innovations.
- Outstanding service to SIAM and the community it serves includes projects, innovative programs, and leadership roles taken to advance the discipline through SIAM and other society activities. Include SIAM awards and other demonstrated contributions such as educational programs and courses, curriculum development and innovation, textbook publication and acceptance, administrative and teaching excellence which have had a major impact on the professional development of individuals in the field. Specify the nature, duration, and significance of major efforts.