IEEE Fellow nominees are classified into the following four categories: 
  • Application Engineer/Practitioner
  • Educator
  • Research Engineer/Scientist
  • Technical Leader
Detailed descriptions of each IEEE Fellow grade nomination category are noted below.

Application Engineer/Practitioner

What product development, advancement in systems, application or operation, project management or construction activity, process development, manufacturing innovation, codes or standards development, or other application of technology was the direct result of the nominee's personal effort?

  • Describe the innovation, creativity, and importance of the development, advancement or application of technology.
  • List the most important tangible and verifiable evidence of the nominee's contributions and, if pertinent, relevant significant technical publications, e.g. patents, reports, articles.
  • Where a team effort was involved, identify and document the specific technical contributions of the nominee.
  • Describe and verify the lasting impact of the nominee?s contribution on society.

    Note: Establishment of this category was approved by the IEEE Board of Directors in June 2003, and implemented in 2005 for the Class of 2006 Fellows.

Educator

Answer the following questions:

  • What impact has the nominee had on education in the field of interest of the IEEE?
  • What unique and innovative curricula or courses has the nominee personally developed? What innovative and unique contributions has the nominee made to engineering education as an administrator?
  • Has the nominee written a pioneering text in his/her field?
  • What impact have these innovations had? What is the range of acceptance, local, regional or worldwide?
  • Describe and verify the lasting impact of these efforts on engineering education.

Research Engineer/Scientist

Describe the nominee in the following aspects:

  • What inventions, discoveries or advances in the state of the art made by the nominee indicate innovation, creativity, and importance of the nominee's research?
  • List patents, papers published in refereed journals and other tangible and verifiable evidence of the nominee's accomplishments.
  • Where a team effort was involved, identify and document the specific technical contributions of the nominee.
  • Describe and verify the lasting impact of the nominee's contributions to society.

    Note: Category was formerly Engineer/Scientist.

Technical Leader

Describe the nominee as follows:

  • What outstanding engineering application or scientific accomplishments resulted from a managerial, team, or company-wide effort that was lead by this nominee?
  • Explain the technical innovation, difficulties and risk involved, achieving economic acceptability, and other advantages.
    The nominee's organizational position, while important, cannot be used as the sole evidence of achievements or technical contribution.
  • Describe and verify the specific technical contributions that the nominee made which made the achievement possible.
  • Describe and verify the lasting impact of the nominee's contribution to society.

Modernizing the Nomination Process

The IEEE Online Fellow Nomination Process is an electronic submittal system that was developed to make it more convenient for nominators, references and endorsers from around the world to recommend worthy IEEE Senior or IEEE Life Senior Members for elevation to IEEE Fellow grade.     

All questions on the IEEE Fellow grade nomination process, or general Fellow questions, should be referred to the IEEE Fellow staff at fellows@ieee.org .

Contact the IEEE Fellow Activities Staff
IEEE-USA Government Fellowships
IEEE Fellow News
IEEE Fellow (2009) Chai K Toh has been elected to International Fellow of The Royal Academy of Engineering UK. Learn more.