Eligibility and Evaluation Criteria for SANS Fellow Status

To be eligible for consideration as a SANS Fellow, candidates must:

• Be a current member of SANS;
• Have earned a PhD at least 10 years prior to nomination;
• Have made significant, original contributions to the fields of social and affective neuroscience
• Commit to coming to the SANS conference the year of nomination
• Commit to coming to 3 out of the next 5 SANS conferences the year after nomination

SANS values diverse forms of impact and acknowledges that major contributions can come from various professional roles, including academic researchers, educators whose positions may involve limited research, and applied scholars whose primary responsibilities may not include teaching or mentoring. Applications will be evaluated with respect to the nominee’s role and the nature of their impact on the field. Nominations should indicate whether the applicant’s primary focus is in one of the following areas or encompasses more than one area:

• Research
• Teaching
• Service/Outreach or Applied work

Evaluation Criteria Include: 

Scientific Contributions and Impact: The committee will review the nominee’s scholarly output (e.g., peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, books, edited volumes) and the impact of this work on the field, such as, influential findings, efforts that shape research practices, research awards, or citation metrics. Broader contributions that apply research to societal or policy issues will also be considered where applicable. For nominees in applied roles, evidence of research impact within or beyond their organization—regardless of publication status—will be considered. 

Service and Outreach: Consideration will be given to professional service, such as roles in SANS, conference planning, editorial boards, grant review panels, and engagement with public or professional audiences through outreach, blogs, or translational work. 

Teaching and Mentoring: For nominees whose positions involve teaching, the committee will assess accomplishments in instruction and mentorship, including teaching awards, success in supporting underrepresented students, success in seeing students transition into advanced educational programs, academic positions or alternative career paths, and demonstrated excellence in pedagogical leadership or innovation in social and affective neuroscience education.