Description: Honors an IFT member who has achieved career excellence and provided significant service, leadership, and contributions to IFT and the profession.

Award: Each person elected receives a plaque and pin from IFT.

Criteria & Eligibility: Election as an IFT Fellow is a unique professional distinction conferred upon someone who has achieved career excellence and provided significant service and leadership to IFT and the profession.

The nominee must be an active member of the profession and have been a non-student IFT member for at least 15 years at the time of nomination. IFT members who have spent all or a portion of their careers outside the United States may be considered for Fellowship if they have served in volunteer roles in an allied organization.

In addition, the nominee must demonstrate the following contributions to the field:

• Professional leadership through organizing/leading conferences, conference presentations, and other training and development programs.
• Service and leadership to external advisory committees or boards. This may include but is not limited to editorial boards; advisory boards of universities, professional organizations, or nonprofit organizations; and/or corporate boards.
• Ongoing volunteer service to IFT. This may include, but is not limited to committee, work group or task force service, Section leadership/volunteerism, and/or Division leadership/volunteerism. In the case of a member residing outside the United States, service to an allied organization will be considered in lieu of, or in addition to, service to IFT.
• Honors, awards, and other evidence of recognition within the profession.
• Advancements to the science of food in industry, academia, government, and/or related organizations. Examples may include but are not limited to research achievements, as evidenced by publications, patents, and presentations; innovations in teaching; industrial achievements, such as research management, innovative product and/or process development, inventions; innovations in regulatory organizations; and innovations in related disciplines.

Policy Limitation: The number of elected Fellows in any one year will be no more than ten (10) non-student IFT members.