The membership grade of Fellow is awarded to ANS members for outstanding accomplishment in any one of the areas of nuclear science and engineering. Eligibility for the Fellow nomination is as prescribed in ANS Bylaws.

The honor of receiving the highest membership grade of the Society is reserved for senior members of good reputation who shall:

  1. be at least 35 years of age at the time of nomination,
  2. must have been a member in good standing of the Society for at least five (5) continuous years immediately prior to nomination,
  3. have compiled a professional record of experience marked by significant contribution to the advancement of one or more of the various disciplines served by the Society.

The worthiness of a given candidate for advancement to Fellow is determined by critical review and assessment of submitted credentials and qualifications; hence, nominators should take due care in determining the eligibility of the candidate and preparation of the nomination package.

Nominations for Fellows must be submitted to the Honors and Awards Committee using the nomination form, which will be sent to the primary sponsor once the candidate's eligibility is verified. The Honors and Awards Committee evaluates the nominations and makes recommendations to the ANS Board of Directors.

Candidates for ANS Fellow must have acknowledged scientific, engineering and leadership attainments and must have advanced the science or art of nuclear technology by very significant contributions in one of the following five categories:

  1. Notable original research or invention in the nuclear field
  2. Scientific or technical leadership in a nuclear enterprise of substantial scope
  3. Outstanding leadership as a teacher in the nuclear field
  4. Outstanding achievement in design, engineering, or operations in the nuclear power field or other applications of nuclear technology
  5. Outstanding efforts in the areas of nuclear health, safety or regulation

To be eligible for consideration, approval and subsequent recognition at the ANS Annual Meeting, complete nominations must be submitted to ANS by March 1. To be eligible for recognition at the ANS Winter Meeting, complete applications must be received by August 1.

Promotion to Fellow shall be initiated by nomination by one (1) principal sponsor and no less than four (4) but no more than five (5) Fellows or Professional Members who, as sponsors, shall have personal knowledge of the candidate's qualifications and contributions toward the objectives of the Society. It is recommended that sponsors of a given candidate should be broadly dispersed geographically as well as by institution. Only one sponsor is desired from the home institution of the nominee.

Members of the Board of Directors and the Honors and Awards Committee are not eligible for nomination as Fellows during their terms of service, and may not be a sponsor of a Fellow nomination or write a supporting letter for a nominee.

Nominations are made on a standard form available from ANS. A certificate of distinction is presented at the ANS Annual or the Winter Meeting.

Nomination forms and supporting documents (in Word or Adobe Acrobat) should be emailed to honors@ans.org.

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