The IALD College of Fellows

Acceptance into the IALD College of Fellows recognizes the achievements of the designer as an individual and honors a model architectural lighting designer who has made a significant contribution to the international design/build community. Fellowship also acknowledges outstanding contributions to the IALD as an association.

Induction into the IALD College of Fellows begins with the nomination of a candidate by at least two IALD voting members.

Qualifications

In order to be considered for Fellow membership, a nominee must have the following qualifications:

• Be a Professional member of the IALD for a minimum of ten (10) years.
• Be a member in good standing with the organization.

To be accepted, a candidate will have made a valuable contribution to the profession of lighting design and/or to the IALD that may include the following criteria:

• Contributions to the IALD
• Achievements in the field of lighting design through their body of work
• Leadership within the profession
• Advancement of knowledge

By awarding the designation of Fellow, the Association recognizes and honors outstanding contributions and achievements in lighting design, service to the profession, and service to the IALD itself.

The Nomination Process

The Call for Fellows Nominations shall be announced to the general membership at the beginning of every year. Candidates must be nominated by at least two voting IALD members in good standing, one of whom must be an IALD Professional or Fellow.

Before nominating a candidate, it is incumbent upon the nominators to have a genuine familiarity with the nominated member and the member's work. It is recommended that the nominators check with the IALD Staff to confirm that the nominee has been a Professional member for at least ten years.

Official Nomination Form

Nominators must work together to complete the online nomination form and provide all required supporting documentation. Nominees may be consulted for supporting information. All submissions and supporting materials must be completed by the deadline for that year. All information shall remain confidential.

If the nomination form is not completed in full by the deadline of Friday, July 24, 2026, the nominee will not be considered for that year. If a candidate is to be reconsidered in a subsequent year, they must be re-nominated. Nominations are not carried over from year to year.

IALD staff will evaluate completed nominations for compliance with eligibility criteria based on the materials submitted. If the nominee and nomination meet all requirements, the nomination and supporting documentation will be forwarded to the Fellows Review Committee.

Review Process

The Fellows Review Committee, comprised of the IALD Membership Committee and up to three IALD Fellow Members in good standing, shall review all nominee applications and supporting documentation. The review process may last up to sixty (60) days.

Once the review is complete, the IALD Membership Committee, taking into consideration the Fellows' recommendations, will vote to approve or reject the application for Fellowship.

Final Approval and Notification

Approved candidates will be notified that his or her nomination has been accepted by September of that year.

All nominees approved for Fellow membership shall be inducted and honored at the next official IALD function or meeting befitting the honor. If a nominee is not approved for Fellow membership, the IALD Membership Committee Chair will notify the nominators of the results. It is the nominators' responsibility to advise the Fellows candidate that their application has not been approved.