program Description

Established in 2025, the AMS-SIAM Cathleen Synge Morawetz Prize in Applied Mathematics is named for Cathleen Synge Morawetz (1923–2017), recognizing her profound contributions to partial differential equations and mathematical fluid dynamics. Her many honors include the National Medal of Science (1998), the Leroy P. Steele Prize for Lifetime Achievement (2004), and selection as a Fellow of both the American Mathematical Society and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics. An admired leader and mentor within the mathematical sciences community, Morawetz was the first woman to deliver the AMS Gibbs Lecture (1981), the first female member of the Applied Mathematics Section of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (1990), and the second woman to serve as President of the AMS (1993).

This prize was previously named the AMS-SIAM George David Birkhoff Prize in Applied Mathematics in honor of George David Birkhoff, and began in 1967 with an initial endowment contributed by the Birkhoff family and subsequent additional gifts by other family members and friends. The Birkhoff Prize was awarded to Morawetz in 2006.

The AMS and SIAM award the Morawetz Prize jointly every three years, and the current prize amount is US$5,000. To be eligible, a nominee must be a member of AMS or SIAM in the year in which the nomination is made, and in each of the immediately prior three years (as of July 31 of each year) the nominee must have either been a member of AMS or SIAM.

The Birkhoff Prize is awarded for an outstanding contribution to applied mathematics in the highest and broadest sense.

The current prize amount is US$5,000, awarded every three years to a member of AMS or SIAM.

Requirements

Suggested citation up to 50 words.

A letter of nomination describing the candidate's accomplishments and why he or she should be selected for the award.

CV for the nominee