Nominating Procedure for an APS Fellowship Through FIAP

Gray Arrow Call for Nominations: FIAP Submissions for APS Fellowship

Any nomination for APS Fellowship must be linked to one of the “units” in APS. For people working in industry the most likely unit is FIAP, the Forum on Industrial and Applied Physics. It is the biggest forum, so it has a large allocation of Fellow nominations.

Only APS members can be nominated to become fellows. You must also be an APS member to submit a nomination. You will need the support of a second member who is the “co-sponsor.” It is not necessary to be a FIAP member to nominate someone, but it’s easy to join FIAP and can’t hurt.

The nomination package should include recommendations from up to two others who need not be APS members.

Deadline for fellow nominations: June 1, 2016 for FIAP

Nomination process: Can be submitted at any time, but must meet the deadline to be considered for that year

Before submitting a nomination, you should assemble all the items listed on the Requirements for Fellowship Nomination page;  including:

  • Citation (maximum 300 characters)
  • Supporting paragraph (maximum 2500 characters)
  • Letter of support (uploaded as a pre-saved document)
  • Name and email address of a co-sponsor. The co-sponsor should also provide a strong letter of support.
  • Additional letters of support (at most 2 beyond yours and the co-sponsor's)

Use your letter of support to emphasize the concrete accomplishments of the nominee and the impact thereof. Since many FIAP nominees work in non-academic environments, the FIAP Executive Committee has provided guidelines on the criteria for nomination on the following page.

Process Overview:

  1. Submit nomination to APS prior to unit deadline (June 1, 2016 for FIAP)
  2. Nominations are reviewed at the Unit level by the Unit Fellowship Committee
  3. Recommendations are reviewed by the APS Fellowship Committee (by September 1)
  4. Final approval is given by full APS Council (by November 30)
  5. Notification of newly elected fellows as well as sponsors of nominees deferred or dropped
  6. General announcement of new fellows in March issue of APS News

Complete nomination details may be found at the appropriate link.  Questions are welcome.

Steven Lambert, lambert@aps.org
Industrial Physics Fellow
American Physical Society
301-209-3245

Criteria for APS Fellowship Nomination Through FIAP

Criterion

1. Contributions made in fields of Industrial or Applied physics

Definition

The primary criterion. The nominee should have made a significant contribution in a field of industrial or applied physics according to the following sub-criteria. The accomplishment(s) should be easily and succinctly expressed.

Pure academic physics research that has not resulted in industrial applications, led to commercial products, or major applied physics projects within national or international laboratories or facilities should be considered by APS Technical Divisions rather than FIAP.

Examples of significance

Successful commercialization of a product or process resulting from physics R&D or advancement in physics

A significant practical application of physics, but not commercialized, e.g., patents exist

The practice of physics, such as significant advances in physics, but are not developed into an application, e.g. a body of work in physics in an industrial or national lab setting with publications but no or very few patents

Original research and development that advances the field of industrial or applied physics without satisfying any of the above sub criteria

Leadership in advancing industrial or applied physics in a significant industrial, governmental, or other program

2. Patents and Publications

A maximum of the 8 most significant patents and publications required for the nomination. No more than 4 publications can be included. All publications should be directly related to the nominee’s significant contributions to industrial or applied physics.

Continuing record of patents

Patents are a visible way for industrial and applied physicists to demonstrate significant achievement worthy of recognition. A list of patents should be considered separately from physics journal publications.

Continuing record of publication

Publications are a visible way for industrial and applied physicists to demonstrate significant achievement worthy of recognition. A list of physics journal publications should be considered separately from patents

3. Related accomplishments, record of professional physics contributions

Stature of the nominee in the physics community based on leadership, management, and involvement in APS & FIAP, professional appointments, awards and recognition.

4. Letters of sponsor, co-sponsor, and 2 supporters

Based on qualifications of the sponsors and the strength of the letters

Opinions expressed represent the views of the individual authors and not the American Physical Society or author’s employers.