WEF Fellows Program

billy turner.jpg — Pictured above is WEF Past President, Ifetayo Venner, P.E. and 2023 WEF Fellow Recipient, Billy G. Turner

The WEF Fellows program, much like Fellows programs at universities and other professional trade associations, was created to recognize WEF members with outstanding achievement and impactful contributions to the water industry. Criteria was established in 2009 to recognize individual WEF member's professional achievement, stature, and contributions towards the preservation and enhancement of the global water environment in design/consulting, education, operations, regulation, research and utility management/leadership, as well as, importantly, their service to WEF and respective Member Associations. The prestigious title of “WEF Fellow” is awarded on a selective basis after a thorough application review process. Over a decade after its inaugural year, 210 of WEF’s best and brightest have been recognized as a “WEF Fellow”.

The WEF Fellows program recognizes the professional achievement, stature and contributions of WEF members to the preservation and enhancement of the global water environment in the practice areas served by WEF as described below. WEF Fellow applicants will be considered by a selection committee. Selected WEF Fellows may use the professional designation, WEF Fellow, after their name.

Eligibility Criteria

Member in good standing of WEF for a minimum of 5 consecutive years
Completed WEF Fellows nomination providing:
- Documentation for a minimum of 20 years of professional experience
- Documentation of at least 10 years of professional achievement/stature and contributions to preserving and enhancing the global water environment, in the practice areas served by WEF, including, but not limited to Design/Consulting, Education, Operations, Regulation, Research and Utility Management/Leadership.
Documented contributions to the nominee's profession through active participation in WEF, its Member Associations, other professional organizations and community involvement. Also include examples of the nominee's work which conveys the impact they have made in their practice area. Note: All presentations, papers, and cited works must be properly documented to show ownership.
Supporting letters from WEF members, (maximum of 5/minimum of 3) - two letters must be from peers in the nominee's practice area, and not employed at the same organization as the nominee.
- Reminder: The WEF membership of the nominee must be active during the nomination submission process. The WEF membership of the individuals (maximum of 5, or minimum of 3) who are providing supporting letters for the nominee must also be active during the nomination process in order for the nominee’s submission to be considered.
- If a nomination from the previous year is currently being considered for review, the same active membership rules apply for the nominee, nominator, and the memberships of those individuals providing letters of support for the nominee. (maximum of 5/minimum of 3)

Congratulations to our 2024 WEF Fellows!

Nominate NOW

Nomination Process:

Nomination opens December 1, 2024, and the deadline is February 28, 2025 at 11:59 PM (ET).
Nominations are accepted from any current WEF member as a self-nomination or a nomination of another WEF member.
- Reminder: Both the nominator and nominee must be active WEF members
Individual WEF members and MAs may submit nominations for WEF members to achieve Fellow status.
Reminder: Please reveiw all eligibility criteria before submitting a nomination
Click here to view a PDF version of the 2024 WEF Fellows Nomination Form
Questions? Email Rebecca Culhane at Awards@wef.org

WEF Fellows Program

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