Prize Specifications

Principal Guideline

The SIAM Activity Group on Mathematical Aspects of Materials Science Early Career Prize, established in 2026, is awarded to an outstanding early career researcher for distinguished contributions to the field in the six calendar years prior to the year of the award.

Eligibility

The award recognizes an individual who has made outstanding, influential, and potentially long-lasting contributions to the field of mathematical aspects of materials science within six (6) years of receiving the Ph.D. or equivalent degree and within six (6) years as of January 1, the year of the award. At least one of the papers containing this work must be published in English in a peer-reviewed journal or peer-reviewed conference proceedings. The committee may consider exceptions to the six-year rule, for career interruptions or delays occurring, e.g., for childbearing, child rearing, or elder care. The award can be received only once in a lifetime.

Submissions

A nomination consists of a letter of nomination outlining the major achievements of the candidate, a CV of the candidate, and letters of support from two or three (but no more than three) experts.

Prize Committee

Formation

The recipient will be selected by the SIAG/MS Prize Committee on the Early Career Prize. This committee will consist of a panel of five SIAG/MS members. The SIAG Chair, in consultation with the other officers, will form a list of five SIAG/MS members to serve on the prize selection committee, will designate the chair, and will submit the list to the SIAM Vice President at Large (SIAM VPAL) for approval prior to inviting the committee members to serve. The SIAG officers will seek to form a committee with broad representation in terms of research area, gender, geography, employment sector (industry, national laboratories, research institutions and universities) and underrepresented groups.

Tenure

The term of office will be from the date of appointment until the date of the award.

Rules of Operation

The SIAG/MS officers and the SIAM office will solicit nominations for the prize from the general membership of the SIAG/MS, using the resources of the SIAM office as needed.

The prize committee will follow the best practices set out in the SIAM Guidelines for Selection Committees. The prize committee will follow the SIAM rules for conflicts of interest, as posted in the guidelines.

Selection Procedures

Prize Committee's Recommendation

The Prize Committee will notify the SIAM VPAL of its selection at least six months prior to the award date. The notification must be accompanied by a written justification and a citation of not more than 25 words that can be used for a certificate and read at the time of award.

The SIAM VPAL will accept or reject the recommendation of the committee within one week of notification.

If the recommendation is accepted, the award presentation will be made according to the procedure described below. If the recommendation is not accepted, the SIAM VPAL and the Prize Committee will select an acceptable individual within two weeks of receiving notification of rejection.

The Selection Committee has the authority to choose to abstain from giving the award if there is no acceptable individual. If the award is not given for this reason, a new selection committee will be selected for the next award cycle.

An award decision will also be postponed to the next cycle if the number of nominations does not meet the required number to forward to the selection committee. See SIAM Prize Policy for more information. 

Notification of Award

The Chair of the Prize Committee will notify the recipient of the award at least five months in advance of the award date. As part of the notification, an invitation will also be extended to the recipient to attend the award ceremony at the SIAM Conference on Mathematical Aspects of Materials Science to receive the award. The recipient will have the opportunity to give a plenary talk at this conference on the work for which the award is given.

Description of Award

Award Type

The award will consist of a certificate containing the citation. As part of the award, the recipient will be invited to give a plenary talk at the SIAM Conference on Mathematical Aspects of Materials Science. SIAM will make travel funds available to reimburse the recipient for reasonable travel expenses incurred attending the award ceremony and giving the talk.

Award Date

The prize is awarded every three years at the SIAM Conference on Mathematical Aspects of Materials Science.

The Prize Fund

Since there is no cash award and minimal expenses are associated with the prize, there will be no prize fund.

Award Presentation

The Chair of the SIAG/MS and the Chair of the Prize Committee will announce the award at the SIAM Conference on Mathematical Aspects of Materials Science and present the award to the recipient. An announcement of each award will appear in SIAM News, on the SIAG website, and in the SIAG Newsletter.