SIAM Activity Group officers may solicit proposals from members to run a conference, including proposals to run a conference outside North America. This information and proposal forms below may also be used by the steering committees of other established meetings such as Symposium on Discrete Algorithms and Data Mining.

SIAM Activity Groups can plan conferences outside North America. However, a conference cannot go outside North America for two consecutive conferences. Groups can collaborate with a local organization to take financial responsibility when the meeting is outside North America. This means finding an organization in the country where the conference is being held that can collect registration, sign contracts for services, pay invoices, and handle payment of any local taxes. One possibility is to partner with another professional society or university.

Proposals should be submitted to the SIAM Activity Group officers and the SIAM Director of Program and Services before the conference prior to the one being proposed so that proposals can be reviewed and costs associated with SIAM services estimated. Then approved proposals may be presented at the SIAM Activity Group business meeting. For a SIAM Activity Group that runs a biennial or triennial conference, proposals should be solicited at least six months before the business meeting at the prior conference and all proposals should be submitted three months before the business meeting.

There are two options for a SIAM Activity Group conference run with limited SIAM support or staff:

1. SIAM takes financial responsibility, but volunteers provide some services at no cost. One example of this is a conference run at a university. A conference run primarily by local organizers with volunteer local support can sometimes be a less expensive way to run a conference. In this case SIAM would be involved in setting the registration fee structure and the budget. SIAM will use its conference management system and the SIAM website to handle the conference.
2. Another organization takes financial responsibility and SIAM provides services at a fee. The organizers must use the SIAM conference management system and the SIAM website to handle the conference. Since another organization is taking financial responsibility they will need to budget to pay SIAM a fee for these services. Other services, such as marketing, can also be purchased at a fee.

If the conference has an established proceedings that is handled by SIAM, the policy is that SIAM will continue to handle the proceedings and will provide information to local organizers about any fees that should be included in the budget to cover the cost of the proceedings.

Proposals are subject to approval by the SIAM Activity Group Officers or conference steering committee, SIAM VP for Programs, and the SIAM Executive Director.

The proposal form should be completed and returned with a draft budget to the SIAM Director of Programs and Services.

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A conference run by SIAM receives full administrative support and a substantial amount of funding from SIAM. SIAM runs a large number of such conferences every year, many of which are organized by SIAM Activity Groups. For a list of upcoming conferences see SIAM's conference calendar.

Proposal

This proposal is for a conference or workshop in North America that is not a regularly-scheduled SIAM Activity Group conference. SIAM is interested in new ideas for professional conferences and accepts proposals for conferences or workshops to be run by SIAM. Meetings run by SIAM are expected to recover their costs through registration fees, and possibly grant funding and sponsorships. Proposals are judged on the basis of scientific merit and timeliness of the meeting, as well as interest to the SIAM membership.

• Proposals will be reviewed by SIAM’s Executive Director and SIAM’s Vice President for Programs.
• If the proposal is accepted, SIAM provides full administrative support and service, takes financial responsibility and sets all fees. SIAM conference staff takes care of the site selection, and helps with putting together the scientific program and scheduling of activities.
• If, however, you want to make your own local arrangements, assume financial responsibility, and only contract SIAM services at a fee, then see the proposal for conferences or workshops with sponsorship from SIAM below, or if your conference will be outside North America.
• The dates of a proposed new conference should not fall within two weeks of any SIAM conference. New workshops can be proposed to run with one on SIAM’s existing conferences.
• Please submit the proposal form below at least 30 months before the proposed conference dates.

Complete and email the proposal form to the SIAM Director of Programs and Services.

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A conference or workshop can receive sponsorship from SIAM if it is run by another organization that assumes full responsibility for finances and organization. SIAM provides only limited financial support and funding, and can provide conference services at a fee. Due to limited funds, SIAM sponsorship is available only for very few conferences. SIAM will consider proposals for sponsorship of conferences run in North America or outside North America. However, we are limited in the kind of services that can be offered for conferences outside North America.

Workshops can either run concurrently or adjacent to a SIAM conference. Check out the archive to see past workshops SIAM has sponsored.

Proposal

This proposal is for requesting financial or administrative support for a conference or workshop that is not a regularly scheduled SIAM Activity Group conference. SIAM has limited funding to provide sponsorship or support for conferences or workshops organized by other groups. SIAM’s priority is to promote its areas of interest to its members, but we are interested in new ideas for professional meetings and in helping groups who wish to run SIAM-sponsored meetings. Services or support may be requested for meetings held in North America or outside North America.

SIAM can provide sponsorship for a conference provided there is an organization in the country where the conference is being held that is able to take financial responsibility and sign contracts for services. One possibility is to partner with another professional society or with a university. Organizers may submit a proposal to SIAM for limited financial support or contract for services at a fee to help run the meeting.

• Proposals will be reviewed by SIAM’s Executive Director and SIAM’s Vice President for Programs. SIAM will consider diversity issues when deciding whether to sponsor a given conference.
• The dates of the proposed conference should not fall within two weeks of any SIAM conference.
• At least one SIAM member must be on the organizing committee; that member must be listed explicitly as the SIAM representative on all conference materials and announcements.
• A request for funds or administrative support should be submitted at least 24 months (2 years) before the proposed conference date.

There are limited funds available to provide partial support for the following:

1. Invited speaker travel expenses
2. Minitutorial speaker expenses
3. Student or early career travel support

In addition, SIAM can provide administrative support services. There are fees associated with these services:

1. Collection of abstracts
2. Production of program book
3. Maintenance of conference website
4. Collection of registration fees (only conferences in North America)

SIAM will provide an estimate of the fees and the level of service once the application has been reviewed.

Complete and email proposal form to the SIAM Director of Programs and Services.

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SIAM promotes the meeting to the SIAM membership, and in return, SIAM members receive a discount on registration fees. SIAM provides no administrative support and no funding for the meeting. For more information, visit our Guidelines for SIAM Cooperation with Another Meeting.