SIAG on Optimization

Public website for the SIAM Activity Group on Optimization.

This activity group fosters the development of optimization theory, methods, and software — and in particular the development and analysis of efficient and effective methods, as well as their implementation in high-quality software. It provides and encourages an environment for interaction among applied mathematicians, computer scientists, engineers, scientists, and others active in optimization.

Additional information about the SIAM Activity Group on Optimization may be found at SIAM.

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Getting Involved

How to join the SIAM Activity Group on Optimization

Membership in SIAM activity groups is open only to SIAM members. You can join SIAG/OPT or any other activity group when you initiate or renew your membership or via join SIAG.

Posting to SIAM's Engage Platform

SIAG/OPT has a mailing list/discussion board on SIAM's Engage platform. If you are a member of SIAG/OPT and have previously logged in to SIAM's Engage platform, you may post messages to the SIAG/OPT membership by sending mail to siam-opt for redistribution. Typical messages include announcements of new books, new papers, conferences, workshop and job positions. For further questions, please refer to SIAM's Engage FAQ.

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Activities

SIAG/OPT Newsletter

SIAG/OPT Views and News is the newsletter for the SIAM Activity Group on Optimization. Topics covered include announcements of conferences, forthcoming books, new software, electronic archives, research questions and job openings. If you would like to submit an article to this newsletter please send your contributions by email directly to one of the Views and News editors.

SIAM Activity Group on Optimization Prizes

Every three years SIAG/OPT award three prizes.

Best Paper Prize

The next SIAM Activity Group on Optimization Best Paper Prize will be presented at the SIAM Conference on Optimization in 2026.

The SIAM Activity Group on Optimization Best Paper Prize was first awarded in 1996. See the prize page for more details of the prize, including guidelines, past prize winners, and past prize committees.

Early Career Prize

The next SIAM Activity Group on Optimization Early Career Prize will be awarded at the SIAM Conference on Optimization in 2026.

The SIAM Activity Group on Optimization Early Career Prize was first awarded in 2020. See the prize page for more details of the prize, including guidelines, past prize winners, and past prize committees.

Test of Time Award

The next SIAM Activity Group on Optimization Test of Time Award will be awarded at the SIAM Conference on Optimization in 2026.

The SIAM Activity Group on Optimization Test of Time Award was first awarded in 2023. See the prize page for more details of the prize, including guidelines, past prize winners, and past prize committees.

SIAM on Optimization Conferences

We organize the triennial SIAM Conference on Optimization, and minisymposia at the SIAM Annual Meeting. Members of the activity group receive discounted registration.

• 15th SIAM Conference on Optimization, June 2-5, 2026, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
• 14th SIAM Conference on Optimization, May 31-June 3, 2023, Seattle, Washington.
• 13th SIAM Conference on Optimization, July 20-23, 2021, Spokane, Washington (online).
  • 13th SIAM Conference on Optimization, May 26-29, 2020, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong -- postponed to 2021.
• 12th SIAM Conference on Optimization, May 22-25, 2017, Vancouver, Canada.
• 11th SIAM Conference on Optimization, May 19-22, 2014, San Diego, California.
• Tenth SIAM Conference on Optimization, May 16-19, 2011, Darmstadt, Germany.
• Ninth SIAM Conference on Optimization, May 10-13, 2008, Boston, Massachusetts.
• Eighth SIAM Conference on Optimization, 15-18 May 2005, Stockholm, Sweden.
• Plenary lectures and information from the Seventh SIAM Conference on Optimization, 2002, Toronto, Canada.
• Sixth SIAM Conference on Optimization, 1999, Atlanta, Georgia.

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Leadership

New Officers elected for 2026-2028

Congratulations to the following people who were elected to three year terms as officers of the SIAG from 2026 - 2028

• Michael Ulbrich (Chair)
• Frank E. Curtis (Vice Chair)
• Giacomo Nannicini (Program Director)
• Ana Luísa Custódio (Secretary)

Informal Job Descriptions of Officers

• The chair of SIAG/OPT is responsible for overall leadership of the SIAG. Tasks include:

1. Attendance of SIAG Chairs meeting at each SIAM National Meeting
2. Writing Chair's column for SIAG Newsletter
3. Co-chair of programming committee for SIAM Optimization Meeting
4. Renewal of SIAG Charter
5. Formation of nominating committee
6. Chairing SIAG business meeting
7. Oversight and management responsibility for SIAG activities

• The vice chair serves as the deputy for the chair, and is chair of the prize committee

• The Secretary of the SIAG shall keep a record of the affairs of the SIAG, handle correspondence, and submit the reports of SIAG activities. The Secretary is responsible for the production and distribution of SIAG newsletters (typically delegated to the editor of that publication) and for insuring that the information about the SIAG on the SIAM website is correct.

• The main task of the program director is to serve as co-chair (together with the president) of the program committee of the triennial SIAM Conference on Optimization. This entails selecting a location, appointing a program committee, and then, together with the program committee, selecting speakers and themes for the meeting. A second task is to ensure that optimization is well represented at the SIAM Annual Meeting during off-years. The program director, working with the other officers, tries to promote optimization throughout the SIAM community in general, for example, by soliciting minisymposia at other SIAM conferences or soliciting articles for SIAM News.

• The SIAG/OPT Views-and-News editor solicits articles or special issues for our newsletter, edits, and publishes each issue. The editor is appointed by the elected SIAG officers.

Formal Job Descriptions of Officers

Past Officers of SIAG/Optimization

• 2023 - 2025
  • Chair: Luis Nunes Vicente; Vice Chair: Coralia Cartis; Program Director: Gabriele Eichfelder; Secretary: Juliane Mueller
• 2020 - 2022
  • Chair: Katya Scheinberg; Vice Chair: Sam Burer; Program Director: Jeff Linderoth; Secretary: Stefan Wild
• 2017 - 2019
  • Chair: Tamás Terlaky; Vice Chair: Andreas Waechter; Program Director: Michael Friedlander; Secretary/Treasurer: Jim Luedtke
• 2014 - 2016
  • Chair: Juan Meza; Vice Chair: Martine Labbé; Program Director: Michael Friedlander; Secretary/Treasurer: Kim-Chuan Toh
• 2011 - 2013
  • Chair: Michael Todd; Vice Chair: Mihai Anitescu; Program Director: Miguel Anjos; Secretary/Treasurer: Marina Epelman
• 2008 - 2010
  • Chair: Michael C. Ferris; Vice Chair: Yinyu Ye; Program Director: Stephen A. Vavasis; Secretary/Treasurer: S. Thomas McCormick
• 2004 - 2007
  • Chair: Kurt M. Anstreicher; Vice Chair: Robert J. Vanderbei; Program Director: Sven Leyffer; Secretary/Treasurer: Kees Roos
• 2001 - 2003
  • Chair: Henry Wolkowicz; Vice Chair: Philippe L. Toint; Program Director: Anders Forsgren; Secretary/Treasurer: Natalia M. Alexandrov
• 1998 - 2000
  • Chair: Thomas F. Coleman; Vice Chair: Stephen J. Wright; Program Director: Virginia Torczon; Secretary/Treasurer: Ariela Sofer
• 1995 - 1997
  • Chair: Jorge J. Moré; Vice Chair: C. T. Kelley; Program Director: Philip E. Gill; Secretary/Treasurer: Ekkehard W. Sachs
• 1992 - 1994
  • Chair: Andrew R. Conn; Vice Chair: C. T. Kelley; Program Director: David M. Gay; Secretary/Treasurer: Jorge Nocedal
• 1989 - 1991
  • Chair: John E. Dennis; Vice Chair: Andrew R. Conn; Program Director: Michael L. Overton; Secretary/Treasurer: Stephen G. Nash
• 1986 - 1988
  • Chair: Paul T. Boggs; Vice Chair: Robert Schnabel; Program Director: Richard Tapia; Secretary/Treasurer: Thomas F. Coleman

SIAG/OPT began operation in 1986

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Other Sites of Interest

• Benchmarks for Optimization Software
• EUROPT: The Continuous Optimization Working Group of EURO
• Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences
• Mathematical Optimization Society
• Michael Trick's Operations Research Page
• NEOS: Online Optimization Services and Guide
• Stochastic Programming Community Home Page

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Business Meetings and Charters

SIAG/OPT Business Meetings

• June 3, 2026 at SIAM OP26: Slides (pdf), Notes (pdf)
• May 31, 2023 at SIAM OP23: Slides (pdf), Notes (pdf)
• July 19, 2021 at SIAM OP20/21: Slides (pdf), Notes (pdf), Recording
• May 23, 2017 at SIAM OP17: Notes (pdf)
• May 18, 2011 at SIAM OP11: Slides (pdf), Notes (pdf)
• May 18, 2008 at SIAM OP08: Slides (pdf), Notes (pdf)

SIAG/OPT Charters

• 1/1/26 - 12/31/28
• 1/1/23 - 12/31/25
• 1/1/20 - 12/31/22
• 1/1/17 -12/31/19
• 1/1/13 -12/31/15
• 1/1/10 -12/31/12
• 1/1/07 -12/31/09
• 1/1/04 -12/31/06