The purpose of the IEEE Fellow References is to provide an independent evaluation of the
Nominee. Therefore, References should be experts in the Nominee’s technical field and be
familiar with the Nominee’s contributions and their impact, but it is not required that the
Reference is personally acquainted with the Nominee. This is much more important than having
an influential Reference making generic statements or repeating what has already been stated in
the nomination. References should provide a candid personal perspective about the
qualifications of the Nominee. A detailed statement carries more weight with the Fellow
Committee than does a favorable, yet generic, statement. References can also provide additional
evidence about the Nominee’s contributions and their impact.
