SIAM Welcomes Suzanne Weekes as New Executive Director

By Lina Sorg

On January 1, 2021, Suzanne L. Weekes officially began her tenure as SIAM’s third executive director. She succeeds James Crowley, who served in this position for 25 years. Suzanne comes to SIAM from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), where she was Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies and a professor of mathematical sciences. Last month, she sat down with SIAM News to discuss her passion for applied mathematics, prior involvement with SIAM, commitment to the SIAM membership community, and probable focal points as executive director.

SIAM News: How did you first develop an interest in mathematics?

Suzanne Weekes: My interest began in elementary school with the same math that everyone else my age in Trinidad was doing. My teachers and family encouraged me to do well and pursue math and the sciences. I came to the United States for university and earned a B.S. in mathematics and a minor in computer science from Indiana University in Bloomington, and then a Ph.D. in mathematics and scientific computing from the University of Michigan. The latter was an interdisciplinary degree. I also took graduate classes in aerospace engineering, industrial engineering, and computer science, so it wasn’t your traditional math degree.

SN: Why did you choose to pursue a career in applied mathematics?

SW: I’ve always liked to see connections to applications and understand how the mathematics is being used. As an undergraduate and graduate student, I spent summers working at companies where I utilized both my mathematics and computer training, which also fed my interests. I enjoy seeing how foundational research comes to market in terms of usability.

SN: You’ve spent your whole career in academia. Will it be strange to transition after all this time?

SW: I’ve been engaged with SIAM as a volunteer over the years and have worked with some members of the SIAM staff before. The executive director position is a wonderful new challenge and, going by history, the opportunity does not come up often at all. My interests and experience line up well with what is needed for this role.

SN: What type of experiences have you had with industry?

SW: I’ve been involved with industry and academia research partnerships for a while now. When I was in graduate school in the 1990s, I interned at IBM’s Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, NY. After receiving my Ph.D., I was a visiting assistant professor in the Department of Mathematics and the Institute for Scientific Computation at Texas A&M University, where we worked with ExxonMobil on oil recovery simulation. I was integrally involved in WPI’s Center for Industrial Mathematics and Statistics, which actively engages with industry. Among other things, the center runs the NSF-supported Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Industrial Mathematics and Statistics. I am also a founding co-director of the Preparation for Industrial Careers in Mathematical Sciences (PIC Math) program, which is supported by the NSF and the National Security Agency.

The SIAM Industry Committee has done a lot of work to develop plans and ideas that enhance SIAM’s existing connection to industry, and I am excited to move things forward.

SN: How have you been involved with SIAM over the years?

SW: My first research article was published in the SIAM Journal on Numerical Analysis, and the first conference that I ever attended was the 1993 SIAM Annual Meeting in Philadelphia. My first time presenting at a conference was at the 1995 SIAM Annual Meeting in Charlotte, NC, right after I received my Ph.D. I am also the founding chapter advisor of the WPI Student Chapter of SIAM, which is one of the oldest student chapters. The chapter began hosting events in 2003. 

In 2013, I flew to D.C. to have a conversation about developing a program that would help train faculty and students to better understand mathematics’ use in industry. That’s when I first met Jim Crowley — when we were brainstorming at the office of the Mathematical Association of America. The PIC Math program was born from this discussion.

I became chair of the SIAM Education Committee in 2016. We revamped and relaunched the SIAM Visiting Lecture Program, organized minisymposia and panels at the Joint Mathematics Meetings and the SIAM Annual Meetings, and supported SIAM student chapters, among other things. I am also a member of the SIAM Committee on Science Policy and will continue on this committee, ex officio.

SN: Your first SIAM conference experience was in graduate school. Why is it important for students and early-career mathematicians to attend conferences?

SW: Conferences are valuable for researchers at all levels, but especially for early-career mathematicians who are looking to establish themselves in the community. They provide spaces where attendees can get acquainted, share ideas, network with one another, and expand their understanding of the fields. Conferences become more fun once you get to know people, so I’m glad that SIAM hosts “Student Days” at our meetings. We need to continue making the SIAM conference environment very welcoming and inclusive. It can certainly be overwhelming or lonely to go to a strange city and strange hotel and not know anyone. But as you come more often, you begin seeing friends and look forward to meetings.

I have always encouraged my students at WPI to attend SIAM conferences. Three or four undergraduates attended the 2018 SIAM Annual Meeting in Portland, Ore., and it was wonderful for me to see them happily racing down the hallways on their way to some exciting talk or event.

Now that I’m a senior person and can afford to do so, I take my students or junior colleagues out to lunch or dinner, introduce them to other people, and just have a good and special time. I think that this is valuable for everybody, as is making introductions and sparking conversations. That’s what we mean by networking. We do have to look out for each other, especially for our junior people.

SN: You have mentioned that in addition to “Industry,” the “I” in SIAM can also stand for “Innovation.” Tell us more about that.

SW: Research itself feeds innovation, of course, and we are in great shape if it adds real value and can improve our lives, communities, and businesses. Work by SIAM members is often connected to applications, and I hope that the SIAM network allows us to explore and increase the impact of our creative thinking and discoveries, and even bring our ideas to market.

Moving forward with research and innovation requires support from federal agencies, foundations, corporations, individuals, etc. Therefore, we must be able to effectively communicate what we do and bring to light the value of our work. We have to initiate these conversations and gain the support and understanding of policymakers, decision-makers, and the general public.

SN: Which of SIAM’s recent programs or initiatives are you particularly excited about?

SW: So many wonderful ideas came from the highly engaged members of the Task Force on Future Research Directions for NSF in the Era of COVID-19. We sent out a survey to SIAM membership and received a good number of responses. People really took time to answer our questions, so that was very helpful. This feedback is available via a link in the resulting report. 

Other exciting developments are taking place in the field of data science, and I am glad to see the SIAM Activity Group on Data Science working well. With the upcoming launch of SIAM Engage, we will experience a lot of activity in that community and all of our others. It has also been great to witness modeling and computation addressing social sciences problems, and I look forward to seeing more of that work.

SN: What steps should SIAM take to further foster a diverse and inclusive environment?

SW: We want to elevate our work. There may be initiatives that we’re pursuing in little silos or pockets, and having a new Vice President for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion who works with the Diversity Advisory Committee will broaden these initiatives.

We need to continue examining our community climate and make sure that we provide a range of people with the agency and opportunity to serve in positions of influence and take part in our conference lineups. It is important that we continue to be mindful of maintaining a wider view and refrain from making assessments or conclusions based on how things run at one particular institution or in one geographical region. Broadening our perspective requires that we broaden participation. We need all voices at the table and all hands on deck. We want to recognize that we may exist in a system that might not have been set up for all peoples, and use that awareness to change things so that more people are welcome and want to be with us.

SN: How can SIAM continue to grow in the coming years?

SW: We have wonderful conferences and our publications are among the best in the world. We regularly receive exciting new articles, our journal editors and publishing staff do an excellent job, and we will do what we need to ensure that SIAM publications flourish. Mathematics and computational science have applications in a variety of fields. We will continue to develop partnerships and engage our broader community. I look forward to working with incoming president Susanne Brenner, all of the SIAM officers, members of the Board of Trustees and Council, and our esteemed volunteers to uphold and advance SIAM’s mission and grow our reputation and influence.

Lina Sorg is the managing editor of SIAM News.