The Fellows Committee is seeking nominations for the 2021 NCFR Class of Fellows. Please help us by nominating members who have made significant contributions to the organization and the discipline of Family Science. Below is a description of what it means to be awarded Fellow status in NCFR, the Fellows Award criteria for selection to Fellow status, and the procedure for submitting nominations. The Fellows Committee would greatly appreciate your assistance.

What Is Fellow Status in NCFR?

Fellow status in NCFR is an honor awarded to living members of NCFR on the basis of their outstanding contributions to Family Science. Nominations of all family researchers and professionals who have made contributions to the family field are encouraged. Among the recognized areas of contributions are scholarship, teaching, outreach, practice, and professional service, including service to NCFR. By definition, outstanding contributions are those that have broad impact on the discipline and are enduring over time. See list of NCFR Fellows.

What Are the Criteria for Fellow Status?

1. Nominees must have made outstanding contributions to the discipline and to NCFR as an organization. Satisfying a combination of these criteria is required. Examples of outstanding contributions include:
   • Published, refereed scholarship that has shaped or reshaped the discipline of Family Science
   • A history of innovation in practice or outreach that has transformed the discipline, such as the development and implementation of novel or significant interventions or programs designed to promote healthy family relations.
   • Recognition of teaching excellence through awards and mentoring
   • The development and implementation of innovative curricula for training professionals in the area of Family Science
   • The development and implementation of innovative social policy relevant to families
   • A history of innovation and publication about the methods and measurement strategies used in related Family Science arenas
   • Outstanding contributions to NCFR as an organization, which may include a history of organizing conference symposia, editing or guest editing NCFR journals, or developing nationally distributed products or curricula that bridge Family Science and practice
2. Nominees must have at least 10 years of professional experience after the receipt of the appropriate graduate or professional degree.
3. Nominees must have held NCFR membership continuously for the past five years at the time of nomination.

What Is the Procedure for Nominations?

1. Nominees must be nominated by another NCFR member.*
2. Nominees must have the endorsement of two additional individuals, one of whom must be an NCFR member,** describing the outstanding nature of the nominee’s contributions.
3. In general, nominees should not be aware that they are being considered for fellow status. For this reason, the NCFR office will not contact candidates for fellow status at the time of their nominations.
4. Unsuccessful nominees for Fellow status will not be considered eligible again until after a 3-year waiting period.

For complete information, including NCFR Fellow status policies and procedures, a nomination form, and sample letter of endorsement, please see How to Become an NCFR Fellow. 

Please send your nomination materials by email to Rosemary Johnson. The deadline for nominations is Sept. 15, 2021. We are building this special recognition to further the legacy of outstanding members of NCFR. Let us hear from you! Thank you very much for your consideration.

*Nominations from NCFR members involved in the nominee’s academic preparation (e.g., major adviser, administrative head of the program from which the nominee graduated) or who have possible conflicts of interest (e.g., partner or family member) will not be accepted.

**Endorsements from NCFR members with a potential conflict of interest may be included with the nomination packet but cannot be used to satisfy the requirement for endorsement by an NCFR member.