Fellow Member Grade Criteria

The AIChE Fellow grade of membership has been defined in the Institute Constitution and Bylaws.

AIChE Constitution as Amended December 15, 2016

         Article IV - Membership

            Section 1. The membership of the Institute shall consist of FELLOWS, SENIOR MEMBERS, MEMBERS, and STUDENT MEMBERS. A candidate for any grade of membership shall be engaged in an activity and possess scientific knowledge or practical experience which qualify the candidate to cooperate with engineers in the advancement of chemical engineering knowledge and practice. Only FELLOWS, SENIOR MEMBERS and MEMBERS shall have the privilege of holding office, of voting for officers and directors, and of voting on amendments to this Constitution. 

           Section 2. Eligibility for membership grades of Senior Member and Fellow are provided in the AIChE Bylaws. Election to Fellow shall be by vote of the Board of Directors upon nomination by five Fellows or Senior Members. 

AIChE Bylaws as Amended November 6, 2015

         Section I – Membership

     1. A nominee for election as FELLOW shall have been in chemical engineering practice for an adequate period of time to demonstrate long-term excellence, normally 25 years, shall have been an AIChE member for at least ten years (exclusive of student membership), and shall be in the grade of Senior Member at the time of election.

        Election as FELLOW shall be in recognition of “service to the profession” and “significant professional accomplishment.” Contribution in one of these areas shall be outstanding, and some contribution in both areas is necessary.

          (a) “Service to the profession” means efforts done for reasons other than financial compensation for AIChE, other technical societies, or other not-for-profit entities whose efforts benefit chemical engineers or the advancement of the engineering profession.

          (b) “Significant professional accomplishments” shall be based on success in process, product, or theoretical developments, project leadership, managerial achievement, the educating of engineers, or other activities related to chemical engineering.

          (c) The number of Fellows at any time shall be limited to five percent of the sum of the number of Fellows, Senior Members, and Members.

An AIChE member seeking to become a Fellow must be nominated by an AIChE Fellow or Senior member in good standing.

The Fellow grade of membership was approved in 1969.