The SIAM team is excited to welcome four new staff members. Get to know:
Amanda Clemson, Meeting Coordinator
Amanda joins SIAM after her position as an office administrator at Beazley Insurance. Her career path has been a mixture of customer service, administration, and event coordinating.
As SIAM’s Meeting Coordinator, Amanda aids the conferences department with preparations for various SIAM conferences throughout the year.
Q: Why are you excited to be working at SIAM?
A: I am most excited to be working at SIAM because I love how rewarding the job can be. It is a lot of work leading up to a conference but once it comes to an end you get to look back on how successful it was and how much your hard work paid off. I also really am excited to log on every day and work with such a great group of people!
Q: What part of SIAM’s mission statement do you connect with?
A: I connect with SIAM’s mission in creating a community. I love that there is such a big emphasis on continuously developing a community of like-minded individuals who can connect and share their ideas.
Q: Why do you think STEM is important?
A: STEM is such a huge part of our world and a key aspect of innovative thinking.
Q: What is one thing that most people do not know about you?
A: Most don’t know I went to fashion school in New York City, and my first corporate job was a customer service representative for a jewelry company!
Q: How does the conferences department serve the SIAM community?
A: The conferences department plays such a critical role in organizing and planning all of the meetings that bring our SIAM community together throughout the year.
Zillah Elcin, External Relations Officer
Zillah joins SIAM from the world of public media with a bachelor’s degree in communications from Temple University. Prior to SIAM, she worked as a grant writer at WHYY, raising grant funds for a variety of radio and TV shows, programs, and services.
As SIAM’s External Relations Officer, Zillah is responsible for identifying, developing, and managing a portfolio of external stakeholders, including businesses, non-profit entities, and foundations, in order to identify and secure sponsors for SIAM conferences and other activities. She also is responsible for identifying opportunities for partnership with external organizations.
Q: Why are you excited to be working at SIAM?
A: I’m excited to join the development team at SIAM and collaborate across departments to secure SIAM sponsorship! It’s already been such a joy to meet everyone, and I look forward to getting to know those who I have not yet had the chance to work with.
Q: What part of SIAM’s mission statement do you connect with?
A: It’s exciting to assist SIAM with the promotion and facilitation of research in the world of applied mathematics, computational science, and data science, especially as a layman. I never would have guessed I’d have a helping hand in the advancement of applied mathematics!
Q: Why do you think STEM is important?
A: SIAM’s dedication to supporting industrial and applied mathematicians and computational scientists is so important, ensuring innovation through collaboration across disciplines. STEM is an incredible driving force for innovation, economic growth, and problem-solving, and I’m proud to work at an organization committed to the support of these advancements.
Q: What is one thing that most people do not know about you?
A: Most people don’t know that my first name was inspired by a Madeleine L'engle book!
Q: How does sponsorship impact SIAM?
A: Sponsorship enables SIAM to expand our reach and impact within the applied mathematics and computational and data science communities. This allows us to host larger and more diverse conferences, provide support for student travel, offer attendees valuable networking opportunities, and provide educational sessions. As the External Relations Officer, I am happy to assist businesses, government agencies, non-profits, and foundations with their support of SIAM’s conferences and programs.
Rachel Ginder, Productions Manager
Rachel comes to SIAM with a 10-year long career in academic publishing and college background in English and communications. She started as an intern at a small publisher, IGI Global, and later worked in books development. Rachel then spent over eight years working in the journals department at Penn State University Press, where she developed a love of non-profit scholarly publishing, before joining SIAM.
Rachel’s main job responsibility is supervising the production team, who format incoming journal articles, manage the online publications platform, and oversee the printing and shipping of books, journals, and special materials for other departments.
Q: Why are you excited to be working at SIAM?
A: SIAM’s publications have a wide readership and real world applications, and it is exciting to be a part of bringing that research into the world.
Q: What part of SIAM’s mission statement do you connect with?
A: I’m impressed by the community aspect of SIAM’s mission statement. SIAM really values all members and is a supportive community for students, as well as more experienced academics and industry professionals.
Q: Why do you think STEM is important?
A: STEM has the power to make our world a better place. I’m particularly interested in the ways STEM intersects with alternative energy sources, more sustainable transportation, and other ways to make our planet cleaner and more efficient.
Q: What is one thing that most people do not know about you?
A: I’m in multiple book clubs and typically read 40-50 books a year. I read mostly novels, but I love all genres. I’m always excited to trade book recommendations!
Q: How does the production team serve the SIAM community?
A: Production ensures all SIAM publications are published on time and are the best possible quality for our readers. We make sure both the digital and print versions of books, journals, and proceedings are readily available to access, and uphold the high standards of formatting.
Mavis Luo, Marketing Strategist
Mavis comes to SIAM with experience navigating various industries and roles within the marketing field, spanning both China and the United States, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Prior to joining SIAM, she gained valuable experience in the gaming and consumer packaged goods industries. Within these sectors, she explored diverse roles encompassing brand management, paid advertising, social media marketing, and project management.
As SIAM’s Marketing Strategist, Mavis strategically develops digital and traditional marketing campaign ideas and promotion plans that align with SIAM’s goals, with a focus on data analysis, paid social management, and campaign monitoring.
Q: Why are you excited to be working at SIAM?
A: I'm excited to join SIAM due to its reputation and extensive history of serving mathematical communities globally. Being part of such a prestigious organization offers immense opportunities for growth and collaboration.
Q: What part of SIAM’s mission statement do you connect with?
A: SIAM's dedication to promoting the application of mathematics in various fields mirrors my own belief in the transformative power of interdisciplinary approaches. Joining SIAM allows me to immerse myself in a global academic community and make contributions to it.
Q: Why do you think STEM is important?
A: In today's rapidly changing world, the importance of STEM fields cannot be overstated. STEM disciplines play a crucial role in driving progress and innovation, enabling societies to adapt to evolving challenges and opportunities.
Q: What is one thing that most people do not know about you?
A: I have lived in China, New Zealand, and the U.S., and I have explored 39 states within the United States.
Q: How does digital marketing help SIAM pursue its mission?
A: In the rapidly changing landscape of digital marketing, the integration of data and digital media has become more and more important. Through data analytics and digital media engagement, SIAM fosters connections and cultivates a vibrant mathematics community.