1 May Deadline
As stated in the AMS Constitution, “Honorary Members shall be persons of acknowledged preeminence in the atmospheric or related oceanic or hydrologic sciences, either through their own contributions to the sciences or their application or through furtherance of the advance of those sciences in some other way. They shall be exempt from all dues and assessments.”
A list of all individuals ever elected to Honorary Membership can be found at: https://www.ametsoc.org/index.cfm/ams/about-ams/ams-organization-and-administration/list-of-honorary-members1/. The names listed are readily recognizable as those of exceptionally distinguished contributors to the atmospheric and related sciences.
To more firmly fix its unique place in the hierarchy of recognition that the Society can bestow, we first note that Fellows should “have made outstanding contributions . . . during a substantial number of years.” Honorary Membership is meant to delineate and to acknowledge a rarer distinction, exceeding that demanded by the Society’s highest awards. It should be for accumulated distinction over a number of years rather than for a single accomplishment. It is an especially appropriate recognition for individuals whose contributions have very significantly reached in from other fields. In keeping with the Society’s international scope, Honorary Membership should be awarded for high eminence irrespective of nationality or country of residence. The addition of a new name to the roster of Honorary Members should be as much an honor for the Society as it is for the individual.
Procedures
Nominations can be made by any honorary or regular member of the Society in good standing. Nominations should be submitted by May 1 via our awards platform and will remain active for three years. The Executive Committee will discuss and screen nominations by assessing the degree to which they satisfy the qualifications stipulated in the Constitution and the completeness of the dossier. The Executive Committee will recommend to the Council normally no more than three nominees for election to the grade of Honorary Member. Written documentation on the nominees will be forwarded to the Council approximately two weeks before the election. The process is designed to ensure careful and equitable consideration of each nomination.