APS Fellowship
APS Fellowship recognizes members for their outstanding efforts to advancing physics. Members may meet the requirements for Fellowship through:
- Exceptional original research and publication
- Significant innovative contributions in the application of physics to science and technology
- Remarkable advancements in the teaching of physics
- Exemplary service and participation in APS activities
The APS Fellowship Program was created to recognize members who may have made advances in physics through original research and publication, or made significant innovative contributions in the application of physics to science and technology. They may also have made significant contributions to the teaching of physics or service and participation in the activities of the Society.
Fellowship is a distinct honor signifying recognition by one's professional peers. Each year, no more than one half of one percent of the Society’s membership (excluding student members) are elected to the status of Fellow of the American Physical Society.
Rules and eligibility
Nominating a colleague for APS Fellowship is a way to commend them for excellence in physics and their service to the physics community.
To nominate a colleague for APS Fellowship, you and the additional nominating co-sponsor must be active APS members.
Please also ensure that the individual is an APS member in good standing.
Process and selection
To nominate a colleague for APS Fellowship, please include the following:
- The nominee's name
- The co-sponsor's name, and email address
- A 300 character suggested citation that does not include the nominee's name, gendered pronouns, or symbols, and begins with, "For..."
- A 2,500 character paragraph expanding on the citation to indicate the originality and significance of the contributions
- A PDF sponsor's recommendation letter
- The co-sponsor's recommendation letter, which must be uploaded by the co-sponsor
- The nominee's curriculum vitae (CV), which must include academic and employment history, professional honors, a list of principal publications only, and other significant contributions to physics
- Optional: Up to two additional PDF letters of support, which must be uploaded by the letter writers
The online submission process
Nomination materials should be submitted through the APS online system, which can be accessed using your APS credentials.
To begin your nomination:
- Select "Start Nomination."
- Complete the form and upload related files.
- If you wish to save your nomination in progress to edit later, you may do so.
- Select "Finalize" to complete your nomination when you are ready to submit.
Each APS Fellowship nomination is evaluated by the Fellowship Committee of the appropriate APS division, topical group, forum, or by the APS General Fellowship Committee. After review by the full APS Fellowship Committee, APS Council elects the final, successful candidates.
Fellowship committee members include:
- John Marston, chair
- David Hall
- William Ratcliff
- Robert Bernstein
Fellow nomination review
As experts in their unique areas within physics, each unit's Fellowship Committee, composed and defined by the unit's bylaws, review and recommend fellows for election. The APS Fellowship Committee reviews and approves these recommendations, which are then reviewed and approved by the APS Council Steering Committee.
Notification
The APS President then sends a notification letter to the elected Fellow and the Fellow's sponsor, co-sponsor, selection committee chair, unit chair, and unit secretary. APS also announces the elected fellows through our website and other platforms.
APS Honors staff notify sponsors and nominees who were not elected as Fellows.
Carryover review
If an individual is not elected as an APS Fellow, the nomination may be eligible for carryover review in the new cycle the following year. Sponsors and co-sponsors will be reminded to update and resubmit their Fellow nomination, if eligible. The nomination must be resubmitted by the submission deadline.
Nominations for APS Fellowship expire after two years. If a nomination has expired, the sponsor and co-sponsor may submit it as a new nomination.
Contact
If you have questions about the APS Fellowship submission process, please email the APS Honors team.
Nomination deadlines
APS Fellowship nominations open in January 2024. APS and our units have specific deadlines:
General APS Fellowship submission deadline: June 3, 2024
Division deadlines
- Astrophysics (DAP): June 3, 2024
- Atomic, Molecular & Optical Physics (DAMOP): June 3, 2024
- Biological Physics (DBIO): June 3, 2024
- Chemical Physics (DCP): April 1, 2024
- Computational Physics (DCOMP): June 3, 2024
- Condensed Matter Physics (DCMP): April 1, 2024
- Fluid Dynamics (DFD): April 1, 2024
- Gravitational Physics (DGRAV): June 3, 2024
- Laser Science (DLS): June 3, 2024
- Materials Physics (DMP): April 1, 2024
- Nuclear Physics (DNP): May 1, 2024
- Particles and Fields (DPF): June 3, 2024
- Physics of Beams (DPB): June 3, 2024
- Plasma Physics (DPP): May 1, 2024
- Polymer Physics (DPOLY): June 3, 2024
- Quantum Information (DQI): June 3, 2024
- Soft Matter (DSOFT): June 3, 2024
Forum deadlines
- Diversity and Inclusion (FDI): June 3, 2024
- Education (FEd): June 3, 2024
- History and Philosophy of Physics (FHPP): June 3, 2024
- Industrial and Applied Physics (FIAP): June 3, 2024
- International Physics (FIP): June 3, 2024
- Outreach and Engaging the Public (FOEP): June 3, 2024
- Physics and Society (FPS): June 3, 2024
Topical Group deadlines
- Compression of Condensed Matter (GCCM): June 3, 2024
- Data Science (GDS): June 3, 2024
- Energy Research and Applications (GERA): June 3, 2024
- Few-Body Systems (GFB): June 3, 2024
- Quantum Materials Synthesis (GQMS): June 3, 2024
- Hadronic Physics (GHP): June 3, 2024
- Instrument and Measurement Science (GIMS): June 3, 2024
- Magnetism and its Applications (GMAG): June 3, 2024
- Medical Physics (GMED): June 3, 2024
- Physics Education Research (GPER): April 1, 2024
- Physics of Climate (GPC): June 3, 2024
- Plasma Astrophysics (GPAP): June 3, 2024
- Precision Measurement & Fundamental Constants (GPMFC): June 3, 2024
- Statistical and Nonlinear Physics (GSNP): June 3, 2024
Recent recipients
A E Green
recipient
A E Litherland
recipient
A E Siegman
recipient
A Engler
recipient
A G Chynoweth
recipient
The membership of APS is diverse and global, and the nominees and recipients of APS Honors should reflect that diversity so that all are recognized for their impact on our community. Nominations of members belonging to groups traditionally underrepresented in physics, such as women, LGBT+ scientists, scientists who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), disabled scientists, scientists from institutions with limited resources, and scientists from outside the United States, are especially encouraged.
Nominees for and holders of APS Honors (prizes, awards, and fellowship) and official leadership positions are expected to meet standards of professional conduct and integrity as described in the APS Ethics Guidelines. Violations of these standards may disqualify people from consideration or lead to revocation of honors or removal from office.