Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month 2026

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in the U.S., a commemorative month to recognize the historical and cultural contributions of Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Native Hawaiians. To celebrate, SIAM is featuring Dr. Harbir Antil, George Mason University, and Dr. Julianne Chung, Emory University. We encourage you to take a moment to read through each spotlight and learn more about our commitment to our community.

Harbir Antil

Dr. Harbir Antil is an applied and computational mathematics professor at George Mason University, where he is the Founder and Director of the Center for Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence. His research focuses on numerical analysis, partial differential equations, and PDE-constrained optimization, with particular emphasis on large-scale nonlinear optimization, risk-aware control, and scientific machine learning. His work has influenced a wide range of applications, including fluid dynamics, imaging science, infrastructure systems, and digital twins, and has contributed to impactful advances in both science and engineering.

For over a decade, Dr. Antil has been a dedicated member and leader within the SIAM community. He currently serves as President of the SIAM DC–Maryland–Virginia Section, Chair of the SIAM Gene Golub Summer School Committee, and is a member of the Ivo & Renata Babuška Prize Committee and the SIAM Committee on Section Activities. He has played a central role in organizing various SIAM activities, including conferences, minisymposia, and regional programs. He also serves as an associate editor for SIAM Review and SIAM Journal on Scientific Computing.

Dr. Antil is frequently invited to deliver lectures at major international venues and conferences such as Modeling and Optimization: Theory and Applications (MOPTA) and Triangle Computational and Applied Mathematics Symposium (TriCAMS). In particular, he recently delivered the SIAM Plenary Lecture at the Joint Mathematics Meetings 2026.

With more than 150 research publications—many appearing in SIAM journals—Dr. Antil's accomplishments also include receiving funding from agencies such as the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the Office of Naval Research. He has mentored a large and successful group of Ph.D. students and postdoctoral researchers – many of whom now hold tenure-track faculty positions, research scientist roles at national laboratories, and leadership positions in industry. His mentorship is widely recognized for its rigor, impact, and commitment to developing the next generation of applied mathematicians.

Watch the video below to learn more about Dr. Antil’s research, his SIAM involvement, and his advice to early career professionals.

Julianne Chung

Dr. Julianne Chung is an associate professor in the Department of Mathematics at Emory University. She received her Ph.D. in 2009 from Emory University, during which she was a Department of Energy (DOE) Computational Science Graduate Fellow. Prior to joining Emory in 2022, Dr. Chung was an associate professor in the Department of Mathematics and in the Computational Modeling and Data Analytics Program at Virginia Tech. She also held an assistant professor position in the mathematics department at the University of Texas at Arlington and was a National Science Foundation (NSF) Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the computer science department of the University of Maryland, College Park. Throughout her career, she has received several recognitions, including the 2010 DOE Frederick Howes Scholar in Computational Science Award, an NSF CAREER grant (2017), and an Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Research Fellowship for Experienced Researchers (2019).

Dr. Chung has been an active member of SIAM for 21 years, first joining as a graduate student. She currently serves as the Chair of the SIAM Activity Group on Computational Science and Engineering, a member of the Richard C. DiPrima Prize committee, and an associate editor for SIAM Review and SIAM Journal on Matrix Analysis and Applications. Previously, she served as Secretary for the SIAM Activity Group on Imaging Science and served as the SIAM Representative on the Joint Committee on Women in the Mathematical Sciences. She has participated in various SIAM committees including the SIAM Career Opportunities Committee, the SIAM Diversity Advisory Committee, and multiple SIAM prize committees.

Watch the video below to learn more about Dr. Chung’s research, her SIAM involvement, and her advice to early career professionals.

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