Guidelines for evaluating scientific excellence for Fellow/Scholar nominations

ELLIS Fellows are outstanding senior researchers who have made significant contributions to science and commit to acting as ambassadors of ELLIS. They are expected to provide strategic advice and leadership not just scientifically, but also in terms of how to build and grow ELLIS.

ELLIS Scholars are outstanding scientists, often assistant professors, who do not yet have the seniority of a Fellow but are on a clear trajectory to reach this level. The level of expected excellence would be similar to what ERC grants or prestigious research institutions (both private and public) would look for.

Examples include (but are not limited to): regular publications in top-tier venues, research impact (h-index / citations / real-world applications), prestigious awards, honors and grants, editorial board memberships, invitations to serve as AC/PC for top-tier conferences, membership in editorial boards of top-tier journals, and invited talks/tutorials at top-tier conferences. 

As a reference:

• Fellows: Senior scientists with more than 10 years of post-PhD experience and h-index which typically is higher than 25. The median h-index of the current Fellows is 54.
• Scholars: Junior scientists with up to 10 years of post-PhD experience. We also consider extensions for maternity or other types of leaves. The h-index of the current group of Scholars is 14 or higher. The median is 19 and scholars reaching 10 years of post-PhD experience have an h-index of 25 on average.

Depending on the research areas there may be systematic differences that will be considered. Theoretical research may not generate the same impact as computer vision research or other more applied disciplines. In general, while h-indices capture one form of impact, they are not the main criterion to tell whether someone qualifies to be a Fellow or Scholar.

Note the eligible career breaks will be taken into consideration, following the ERC criteria described here.

Each candidate will be evaluated by a number of existing Fellows working in a different country and with a different nationality each providing a score according to the following 6-point scale: 5 - outstanding; 4 - excellent; 3 - very good; 2 - good; 1 - fair; 0 - poor. As a reference, Scholars/Fellows are expected to have a score of at least 4.