Who can become a Fellow?
You can become a Fellow if you are a Registered Member, or are eligible for Registered Membership, and have made significant contributions to ergonomics over a period of at least ten years.
Significant contributions to practice might include the building up of a substantial consultancy service, or developments in techniques. For teaching, there should be emphasis on innovation in the design and delivery of courses. For research, the contribution will usually be a coherent series of papers and research reports. During this period you should have had senior professional responsibility for at least 5 years. This could include project management, team or capability group leadership, or significant financial or management responsibility; all within an ergonomics context. You may, for example, have led the development and mentoring of an ergonomics/human factors team working with you. You may have been involved in adapting ergonomics/human factors standards and specifications for various applications.
What knowledge and experience do I need?
You need to be eligible for Registered Membership, that is, you must have, and be able to demonstrate, a deep and broad base of skills, knowledge and experience of ergonomics/human factors. This includes:
- A minimum of ten years’ experience of working in ergonomics/human factors.
- The ability to demonstrate that you undertake an ergonomics approach to work (a human-centred, participatory approach integrating essential knowledge areas)
- Detailed knowledge of all of the following knowledge areas:
- Anatomy & physiology
- The work environment (environmental stressors, performance shaping factors, psychophysiology)
- People & systems (socio-technical systems)
- Psychology (general & organisational psychology)
- Methods & tools (survey and research methods)
How can I back up my application?
You will need three referees, all members of the Institute and at least two who are Fellows. At least one referee, who is a Fellow, must be employed in a different organisation from you. Overseas applicants who are unable to provide details of referees who are members of the Institute may provide referees who are of an equivalent standing in their own national or international ergonomics/human factors society or related professional body.
How can I demonstrate my knowledge and experience?
The application form will guide you through most of it, and this will be supported by your referees reports which will allow us to make an assessment.
How will my application be assessed?
Once we have received and checked your application for completeness, we will ask for reports from your referees (if you have not already done this). Once they have been received, your application will be passed to two members of the Assessment Panel of the Professional Affairs Board who will then review it. At this point the assessors might ask you to submit additional information if there are any areas which need clarification.
The assessors then make a recommendation to the PAB, who may themselves occasionally ask for additional information from you, for instance, if the two assessors did not unanimously recommend acceptance.
How long will this take?
That depends on several things such as the quality and completeness of your initial application, and the speed with which we receive your referees reports. The assessors are all volunteers so must find time to assess your application, though they will endeavour to do this as quickly as possible. We will make every effort to keep you in touch with progress but you are also welcome to contact us at any time to check how your application is progressing.
If my application is successful, what happens then?
Congratulate yourself! If the PAB approves your application, we will let you know straight away and you will be sent a letter confirming the decision. You will get a certificate and will be able to use the post-nominal FIEHF, as recognition of your professional status. Your name will also be published in the next edition of ‘The Ergonomist’.
Importantly, as a member of the IEHF, you must abide by our Code of Professional Conduct, which helps us to maintain standards and reassures employers and clients.
What if my application is rejected?
If your application is rejected by PAB, you will be given guidance as to the areas in which it was felt that your application was lacking, so that you get a chance to improve your application. We will help you all we can with this.
How much does it cost?
A subscription to a Taylor & Francis journal of your choice is included in your fees. How much you pay as a Fellow depends on how you receive your journal, and how you pay your fees. If you pay by direct debit then the current subscription is £120 plus the cost of your chosen journal. If you pay by cheque or debit/credit card, a fee of £8 will be added. There is also a one-off application and assessment fee of £50+VAT.
How do I apply?
- Complete the application form.
- Gather documentary evidence of your qualifications.
- Write an appropriately detailed CV and publications list.
- If you are not already a Registered Member your CV should include a statement of how your early supervised career was mentored, and how log book evidence or equivalent was covered.
- Ask your referees to complete the referee report form.
- Email everything to the IEHF office at applications@ergonomics.org.uk.
- Send a cheque for the application fee or call the office on 01509 234904 to pay by phone.
Note that the application form is a PDF that can be filled in electronically but you must have Adobe Reader 9.0 or later. Get Adobe reader.
I need help!
If you have any queries and need help or further information, please contact us.
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