Fellow of the Royal Society#Foreign Member

{{excessive examples|paragraph|date=November 2024}}

Fellowship of the Society, the oldest known scientific academy in continuous existence, is a significant honour. It has been awarded to around 8,000 fellows, including eminent scientists Isaac Newton (1672), Benjamin Franklin (1756), Charles Babbage (1816), Michael Faraday (1824), Charles Darwin (1839),{{cite web|year=2015|title=Fellowship of the Royal Society 1660–2015 |url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1RVVZY00MZNrK2YCTTzVrbTFH2t3RxoAZah128gQR-NM/pubhtml |publisher=Royal Society |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015185820/https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1RVVZY00MZNrK2YCTTzVrbTFH2t3RxoAZah128gQR-NM/pubhtml |archive-date=2015-10-15 |url-status=dead }} Ernest Rutherford (1903),{{Cite journal | last1 = Eve | first1 = A. S. | last2 = Chadwick | first2 = J. | doi = 10.1098/rsbm.1938.0025 | title = Lord Rutherford 1871–1937 | journal = Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society | volume = 2 | issue = 6 | pages = 394–423 | year = 1938 }} Srinivasa Ramanujan (1918),{{Cite journal |last=Neville |first=Eric Harold |author-link=Eric Harold Neville |year=1921 |title=The Late Srinivasa Ramanujan |journal=Nature |volume=106 |issue=2673 |pages=661–662 |doi=10.1038/106661b0 |bibcode=1921Natur.106..661N |s2cid=4185656 |url=https://zenodo.org/record/1429646 |access-date=30 June 2019 |archive-date=27 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127143817/https://zenodo.org/record/1429646 |url-status=live }} Jagadish Chandra Bose (1920),{{Cite journal |date=1940 |title=Sir Jagadis Chunder Bose, 1858 - 1937 |url=https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbm.1940.0001 |journal=Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society |language=en |volume=3 |issue=8 |pages=3–12 |doi=10.1098/rsbm.1940.0001 |issn=1479-571X}} Albert Einstein (1921),{{cite journal | last1 = Whittaker | first1 = E. | author-link = E. T. Whittaker| doi = 10.1098/rsbm.1955.0005 | title = Albert Einstein. 1879–1955 | journal = Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society | volume = 1 | pages = 37–67 | year =1955| jstor = 769242| s2cid = 619823 }} Paul Dirac (1930), Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar (1944),{{Cite journal | last1 = Tayler | first1 = Roger J. | author-link = Roger Tayler| doi = 10.1098/rsbm.1996.0006 | title = Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. 19 October 1910 – 21 August 1995 | journal = Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society | volume = 42 | pages = 80–94| year = 1996 | s2cid = 58736242 | doi-access = free }} Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis (1945),{{Cite journal |date=1973 |title=Prasantha Chandra Mahalanobis, 1893-1972 |url=https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbm.1973.0017 |journal=Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society |language=en |volume=19 |pages=455–492 |doi=10.1098/rsbm.1973.0017 |issn=0080-4606}} Dorothy Hodgkin (1947),{{cite journal|last1=Dodson|first1=Guy|author-link1=Guy Dodson|title=Dorothy Mary Crowfoot Hodgkin, O.M. 12 May 1910 – 29 July 1994|journal=Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society|volume=48|year=2002|pages=179–219|doi=10.1098/rsbm.2002.0011|pmid=13678070|s2cid=61764553}} Alan Turing (1951),{{Cite journal | last1 = Newman | first1 = M. H. A. | author-link = Max Newman| doi = 10.1098/rsbm.1955.0019 | title = Alan Mathison Turing. 1912–1954 | journal = Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society | volume = 1 | pages = 253–263| year = 1955 | jstor = 769256| doi-access = free }} Lise Meitner (1955),{{Cite web|date=2020-09-13|title=The Royal Society – Fellow Details|url=https://collections.royalsociety.org/DServe.exe?dsqIni=Dserve.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqCmd=Show.tcl&dsqDb=Persons&dsqPos=0&dsqSearch=%28%28text%29%3D%27Meitner,%20Lise%27%29|website=The Royal Society|access-date=13 September 2020|archive-date=7 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210307231713/https://collections.royalsociety.org/DServe.exe?dsqIni=Dserve.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqCmd=Show.tcl&dsqDb=Persons&dsqPos=0&dsqSearch=%28%28text%29%3D%27Meitner%2C%20Lise%27%29|url-status=dead}} Satyendra Nath Bose (1958),{{Cite journal |last=Mehra |first=Jagdish |date=1975 |title=Satyendra Nath Bose, 1 January 1894 - 4 February 1974 |url=https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbm.1975.0002 |journal=Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society |language=en |volume=21 |pages=116–154 |doi=10.1098/rsbm.1975.0002 |issn=0080-4606}} and Francis Crick (1959).{{cite journal|last1=Bretscher|first1=Mark S.|author-link1=Mark Bretscher|last2=Mitchison|first2=Graeme|title=Francis Harry Compton Crick OM. 8 June 1916 – 28 July 2004|journal=Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society|volume=63|year=2017|issn=0080-4606|doi=10.1098/rsbm.2017.0010|page=rsbm20170010|doi-access=free}}{{Cite journal | last1 = Rich | first1 = Alexander | author-link1 = Alexander Rich| last2 = Stevens | first2 = Charles F. | author-link2 = Charles F. Stevens| doi = 10.1038/430845a | title = Obituary: Francis Crick (1916–2004) | journal = Nature | volume = 430 | issue = 7002 | pages = 845–847 | year = 2004 | pmid = 15318208 |bibcode = 2004Natur.430..845R | doi-access = free }} More recently, fellowship has been awarded to Stephen Hawking (1974), Tim Hunt (1991), Elizabeth Blackburn (1992), Raghunath Mashelkar (1998), Tim Berners-Lee (2001), Venki Ramakrishnan (2003), Atta-ur-Rahman (2006),{{cite web|url=https://royalsociety.org/people/atta-ur-rahman-12136/|title=Atta-Ur Rahman|website=Royal Society|access-date=23 August 2018|archive-date=20 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180620180812/https://royalsociety.org/people/atta-ur-rahman-12136/|url-status=live}} Andre Geim (2007),{{cite web|url=https://royalsociety.org/people/andre-geim-11484/|title=Andre Geim|website=Royal Society|access-date=23 August 2018|archive-date=20 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120180351/https://royalsociety.org/people/andre-geim-11484/|url-status=live}} Bai Chunli (2014), James Dyson (2015), Ajay Kumar Sood (2015), Subhash Khot (2017), Elon Musk (2018),{{Cite web |title=Elon Musk elected as Fellow of the Royal Society |url=https://news.sky.com/story/elon-musk-elected-as-fellow-of-the-royal-society-11365298 |date=9 May 2018 |access-date=2023-04-22 |website=Sky News |language=en |archive-date=4 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210104135155/https://news.sky.com/story/elon-musk-elected-as-fellow-of-the-royal-society-11365298 |url-status=live }} and Elaine Fuchs (2019) Over 280 Nobel Laureates have been inducted since 1900. {{As of|2018|10}}, there are approximately 1,689 living Fellows, Foreign and Honorary Members, of whom 85 are Nobel Laureates.{{cite web |title=Fellows |url=https://royalsociety.org/fellows/ |publisher=The Royal Society |access-date=7 March 2023 |archive-date=29 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160429010206/https://royalsociety.org/fellows/ |url-status=live }}

File:Portrait_of_Sir_Isaac_Newton,_1689.jpg was one of the earliest fellows of the Royal Society.]]

Fellowship of the Royal Society has been described by The Guardian as "the equivalent of a lifetime achievement Oscar"{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150913043653/http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2004/apr/29/science.research|archive-date=2015-09-13|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2004/apr/29/science.research|location=London|work=The Guardian|first=Colin|last= Blackstock|year=2004|title=Fellows keep Susan Greenfield off Royal Society list}} with several institutions celebrating their announcement each year.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160525213345/http://www.icr.ac.uk/news-archive/eminent-cancer-researchers-elected-to-royal-society-fellowship|archive-date=2016-05-25|url=http://www.icr.ac.uk/news-archive/eminent-cancer-researchers-elected-to-royal-society-fellowship|title=Eminent cancer researchers elected to Royal Society Fellowship|publisher=Institute of Cancer Research|year=2016|location=London}}{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160525213615/https://www.crick.ac.uk/news/news-archive/2016/04/29/royal-society-fellowship-for-crick-scientist/|archive-date=2016-05-25|url=https://www.crick.ac.uk/news/news-archive/2016/04/29/royal-society-fellowship-for-crick-scientist/|title=Royal Society Fellowship for Crick scientist|publisher=Francis Crick Institute|location=London|date=29 April 2016 }}{{cite web|url-status = live|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160507084045/http://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/manchester-scientists-elected-as-fellows-of-royal-society/ |archive-date=2016-05-07 |url= http://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/manchester-scientists-elected-as-fellows-of-royal-society/|title=Manchester scientists elected as Fellows of Royal Society|location= Manchester |publisher= University of Manchester |date=29 April 2016 }}{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415043849/https://www.imperial.ac.uk/about/introducing-imperial/our-people/award-winners/royal-society-fellows/|archive-date=2016-04-15|url=https://www.imperial.ac.uk/about/introducing-imperial/our-people/award-winners/royal-society-fellows/|publisher=Imperial College London|title=Royal Society Fellows |url-status = live |location= London |author= |year=2016}}{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160525214137/https://www.abdn.ac.uk/news/9127/|archive-date=2016-05-25|url=https://www.abdn.ac.uk/news/9127/|publisher=University of Aberdeen|title=Three University of Aberdeen researchers elected to Royal Society |location=Aberdeen |date=29 April 2016 |url-status = live}}{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160424062813/http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/the-royal-society-announces-election-of-new-fellows-2015|archive-date=2016-04-24|url=http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/the-royal-society-announces-election-of-new-fellows-2015 |publisher= University of Cambridge|location=Cambridge|title=The Royal Society announces election of new Fellows 2015|date=29 Apr 2016 |url-status = live}}{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160430105753/http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2016-04-29-seven-oxford-academics-elected-fellows-royal-society|archive-date= 2016-04-30|url=http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2016-04-29-seven-oxford-academics-elected-fellows-royal-society|publisher=University of Oxford|location=Oxford|title=Seven Oxford academics elected Fellows of the Royal Society|author=|url-status = live|year=2016}}

File:Weston_Library_Opening_by_John_Cairns_20.3.15-139_(cropped,_Hawking).jpg was elected a Fellow in 1974.{{cite web|title=Stephen Hawking |url=https://royalsociety.org/people/stephen-hawking-11594/|access-date=23 August 2018|website=Royal Society |archive-date=28 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928133250/https://royalsociety.org/people/stephen-hawking-11594/|url-status=dead }}]]

Up to 60 new Fellows (FRS), honorary (HonFRS) and foreign members (ForMemRS) are elected annually in late April or early May, from a pool of around 700 proposed candidates each year.{{cite journal|last1=Keeler|first1=C. Richard|title=Three Hundred Fifty Years of the Royal Society|journal=Archives of Ophthalmology|volume=129|issue=10|year=2011|pages=1361–1365|doi=10.1001/archophthalmol.2011.222|pmid=21987680|doi-access=}} New Fellows can only be nominated by existing Fellows for one of the fellowships described below:

File:BillBryson02.JPG, elected as an Honorary Member in 2013]]

Every year, up to 52 new fellows are elected from the United Kingdom, the rest of the Commonwealth of Nations, and Ireland, which make up around 90% of the society.{{cite web|url=https://royalsociety.org/~/media/about-us/governance/royal-society-statutes-290115.pdf|publisher=Royal Society|location=London|title=Statutes of the Royal Society|author=Council of the Royal Society|date=29 January 2015|access-date=29 March 2021|archive-date=7 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307155827/https://royalsociety.org/~/media/about-us/governance/royal-society-statutes-290115.pdf|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://royalsociety.org/~/media/Royal_Society_Content/about-us/fellowship/130810_ElectionProcess.pdf|publisher=Royal Society|location=London|title=Fellowship of the Royal Society – a window on the election process|author=|date=October 2007|access-date=29 March 2021|archive-date=5 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160405141248/https://royalsociety.org/~/media/Royal_Society_Content/about-us/fellowship/130810_ElectionProcess.pdf|url-status=live}} Each candidate is considered on their merits and can be proposed from any sector of the scientific community. Fellows are elected for life on the basis of excellence in science and are entitled to use the post-nominal letters FRS.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906183433/https://royalsociety.org/fellows/elections/ |archive-date=2015-09-06|url=https://royalsociety.org/fellows/elections/ |publisher=Royal Society|location=London|title= Elections }}

File:Professor_Jennifer_Doudna_ForMemRS.jpg, elected as a Foreign Member in 2016]]

Every year, fellows elect up to ten new foreign members. Like fellows, foreign members are elected for life through peer review on the basis of excellence in science. {{As of|2016}}, there are around 165 foreign members, who are entitled to use the post-nominal ForMemRS.{{cite journal|last1=Gulyas|first1=Balázs|author-link1=Balázs Gulyás|last2=Somogyi|first2=Peter|author-link2=Peter Somogyi|title=János Szentágothai 31 October 1912 – 8 September 1994: Elected ForMemRs 20 April 1978|journal=Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society|volume=59|year=2012|pages=383–406|pmc=4477047|pmid= 26113752 |doi=10.1098/rsbm.2012.0038}}

File:Ramanujan.jpg was elected a Fellow in 1917.]]

Honorary Fellowship is an honorary academic title awarded to candidates who have given distinguished service to the cause of science, but do not have the kind of scientific achievements required of Fellows or Foreign Members. Honorary Fellows include the World Health Organization's Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (2022), Bill Bryson (2013), Melvyn Bragg (2010), Robin Saxby (2015), David Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury of Turville (2008), Onora O'Neill (2007), John Maddox (2000),{{Cite journal |last1=Gratzer |first1=Walter |author-link=Walter Gratzer |year=2010 |title=Sir John Royden Maddox. 27 November 1925 – 12 April 2009 |journal=Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society |volume=56 |pages=237–255 |doi=10.1098/rsbm.2009.0024 |doi-access=}} Patrick Moore (2001) and Lisa Jardine (2015).{{cite journal |last1=Hunter |first1=Michael |year=2017 |title=Lisa Jardine CBE. 12 April 1944 – 25 October 2015 |journal=Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society |volume=63 |page=rsbm20170015 |doi=10.1098/rsbm.2017.0015 |issn=0080-4606 |doi-access=free}} Honorary Fellows are entitled to use the post nominal letters HonFRS.{{cite web|url=https://royalsociety.org/fellows/fellows-directory/|title=Fellows Directory|access-date=9 May 2018|archive-date=5 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905082015/https://royalsociety.org/fellows/fellows-directory/|url-status=live}}

File:Sir David Frederick Attenborough at Weston Library Opening 20.3.15 (cropped).jpg was elected a Fellow in 1983, under former statute 12.]]

Statute 12 is a legacy mechanism for electing members before official honorary membership existed in 1997.{{cite web |title=Young guns |url=https://royalsociety.org/blog/2020/05/young-guns/ |website=The Royal Society |date=25 May 2020 |access-date=9 March 2023 |archive-date=9 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230309123900/https://royalsociety.org/blog/2020/05/young-guns/ |url-status=live }} Fellows elected under statute 12 include David Attenborough (1983) and John Palmer, 4th Earl of Selborne (1991).

The Council of the Royal Society can recommend members of the British royal family for election as Royal Fellow of the Royal Society. {{As of|2023}} there are four royal fellows:

1. Charles III, elected 1978{{cite web|url=https://royalsociety.org/people/prince-charles--10959/|access-date=2023-04-23|publisher=Royal Society|location=London|title=Prince Charles|author=|year=|archive-date=17 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117024648/https://royalsociety.org/people/prince-charles--10959/|url-status=live}}
2. Anne, Princess Royal, elected 1987{{cite web|url=https://royalsociety.org/people/princess-anne--12566/|access-date=2023-04-25|publisher=Royal Society|location=London|title=Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal Princess Anne KG KT GCVO GCStJ QSO GCL FRS Royal Fellow|archive-date=17 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117015815/https://royalsociety.org/people/princess-anne--12566/|url-status=live}}
3. Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, elected 1990{{cite web|url=https://royalsociety.org/people/prince-edward--10961/|access-date=2023-04-23|publisher=Royal Society|location=London|year=1990|title=His Royal Highness Prince Edward, Duke of Kent KG GCMG GCVO ADC(P) FRS Royal Fellow|archive-date=17 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117012650/https://royalsociety.org/people/prince-edward--10961/|url-status=live}}
4. William, Prince of Wales, elected 2009{{cite web|url=https://royalsociety.org/people/prince-william--10960/|access-date=2023-04-25|publisher=Royal Society|location=London|title=His Royal Highness Prince William, Duke of Cambridge KG KT ADC(P) FRS Royal Fellow|archive-date=17 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117104748/https://royalsociety.org/people/prince-william--10960/|url-status=live}}

Elizabeth II was not a Royal Fellow, but provided her patronage to the society, as all reigning British monarchs have done since Charles II of England. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (1951) was elected under statute 12, not as a Royal Fellow.{{cite web|url=https://royalsociety.org/people/prince-phillip11663/|access-date=2023-04-25|publisher=Royal Society|location=London|title=His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh KG Kt OM GBE FRS Statute 12|archive-date=24 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151124102351/https://royalsociety.org/people/prince-phillip11663/|url-status=live}}

The election of new fellows is announced annually in May, after their nomination and a period of peer-reviewed selection.

Each candidate for Fellowship or Foreign Membership is nominated by two Fellows of the Royal Society (a proposer and a seconder), who sign a certificate of proposal.{{cite web |url=http://occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald/2012/04/20/10-things-you-should-know-about-election-to-the-royal-society/ |title = Ten Things You Should Know about Election to the Royal Society |publisher=Occam's Typewriter |archive-date=2014-08-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140824123836/http://occamstypewriter.org/athenedonald/2012/04/20/10-things-you-should-know-about-election-to-the-royal-society/ | date = 2012-04-20 | author = Athene Donald|author-link = Athene Donald }} Previously, nominations required at least five fellows to support each nomination by the proposer, which was criticised for supposedly establishing an old boy network and elitist gentlemen's club.{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/sparks-fly-over-royal-society-gender-study-8679986.html |title = Sparks fly over Royal Society gender study |work=The Independent |archive-date=2013-07-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130703113152/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/sparks-fly-over-royal-society-gender-study-8679986.html

| year = 2013 | first = Paul|last= Gallagher}}{{cite web |url=http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/features/a-bunch-of-jolly-good-fellows-or-old-cronies-who-dont-deserve-25m-a-year/168228.article |title = A bunch of jolly-good fellows or old cronies who don't deserve £25m a year? |publisher=Times Higher Education |archive-date=2014-12-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230111934/http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/features/a-bunch-of-jolly-good-fellows-or-old-cronies-who-dont-deserve-25m-a-year/168228.article | year = 2002| first = Paul |last=Gallagher}}{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160525212815/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/royal-societies-not-recruiting-enough-women-say-mps-186734.html|archive-date=2016-05-25|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/royal-societies-not-recruiting-enough-women-say-mps-186734.html|title=Royal societies not recruiting enough women, say MPs|work=The Independent|year=2002|first=Steve|last= Connor}} The certificate of election (see for example{{cite web |url=https://collections.royalsociety.org/DServe.exe?dsqIni=Dserve.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqDb=Catalog&dsqCmd=show.tcl&dsqSearch=(RefNo==%27EC%2F2007%2F16%27) |title=Certificate of Election and candidature: EC/2007/16: Andre Geim |publisher=Royal Society |archive-date=4 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190704215133/https://collections.royalsociety.org/DServe.exe?dsqIni=Dserve.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqDb=Catalog&dsqCmd=show.tcl&dsqSearch=%28RefNo%3D%3D%27EC%2F2007%2F16%27%29 |location=London |url-status=dead}}) includes a statement of the principal grounds on which the proposal is being made. There is no limit on the number of nominations made each year. In 2015, there were 654 candidates for election as Fellows and 106 candidates for Foreign Membership.

The Council of the Royal Society oversees the selection process and appoints 10 subject area committees, known as Sectional Committees, to recommend the strongest candidates for election to the Fellowship. The final list of up to 52 Fellowship candidates and up to 10 Foreign Membership candidates is confirmed by the Council in April, and a secret ballot of Fellows is held at a meeting in May. A candidate is elected if they secure two-thirds of votes of those Fellows voting.

An indicative allocation of 18 Fellowships can be allocated to candidates from Physical Sciences and Biological Sciences; and up to 10 from Applied Sciences, Human Sciences and Joint Physical and Biological Sciences. A further maximum of six can be 'Honorary', 'General' or 'Royal' Fellows. Nominations for Fellowship are peer reviewed by Sectional Committees, each with at least 12 members and a Chair (all of whom are Fellows of the Royal Society). Members of the 10 Sectional Committees change every three years to mitigate in-group bias. Each Sectional Committee covers different specialist areas including:

1. Computer science
2. Mathematics
3. Astronomy and physics
4. Chemistry
5. Engineering
6. Earth science and environmental science
7. Molecules of Life{{cite web |title=Sectional Committee 6: Molecules of Life |url=https://royalsociety.org/about-us/committees/sectional-committee-6-molecules-of-life-106/ |publisher=The Royal Society |access-date=7 March 2023 |archive-date=7 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307121636/https://royalsociety.org/about-us/committees/sectional-committee-6-molecules-of-life-106/ |url-status=live }}
8. Cell biology
9. Multicellular organisms
10. Patterns in Populations{{cite web |title=Sectional Committee 9: Patterns in populations |url=https://royalsociety.org/about-us/committees/sectional-committee-9-patterns-in-populations-109/ |publisher=The Royal Society |access-date=7 March 2023 |archive-date=7 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307121645/https://royalsociety.org/about-us/committees/sectional-committee-9-patterns-in-populations-109/ |url-status=live }}

New Fellows are admitted to the Society at a formal admissions day ceremony held annually in July,{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150414000057/http://blogs.royalsociety.org/history-of-science/2010/08/03/photographing-new-fellows/|archive-date=2015-04-14|url=http://blogs.royalsociety.org/history-of-science/2010/08/03/photographing-new-fellows/|title=Royal Society Admissions Day: photographing new Fellows|first=Jo|last=McManus|year=2010}} when they sign the Charter Book and the Obligation which reads:

"We who have hereunto subscribed, do hereby promise, that we will endeavour to promote the good of the Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, and to pursue the ends for which the same was founded; that we will carry out, as far as we are able, those actions requested of us in the name of the Council; and that we will observe the Statutes and Standing Orders of the said Society. Provided that, whensoever any of us shall signify to the President under our hands, that we desire to withdraw from the Society, we shall be free from this Obligation for the future".

Since 2014, portraits of Fellows at the admissions ceremony have been published without copyright restrictions in Wikimedia Commons under a more permissive Creative Commons license which allows wider re-use.{{cite web|url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Images_released_by_the_Royal_Society|title=Images released by the Royal Society|publisher=Wikimedia Commons|access-date=25 May 2016|archive-date=7 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507111955/https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Images_released_by_the_Royal_Society|url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://blog.wikimedia.org/2014/09/11/new-images-released-are-quickly-put-to-use/ |title=New images released are quickly put to use |last1=Byrne|first1=John |date=September 11, 2014 |publisher=Wikimedia Foundation blog |archive-date=2014-10-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141021145940/http://blog.wikimedia.org/2014/09/11/new-images-released-are-quickly-put-to-use/}}

File:Professor_Brian_Cox_OBE_FRS.jpg, a professor of physics, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2016 having previously held a Royal Society University Research Fellowship (URF) from 2005 to 2013.{{cite web|url=https://royalsociety.org/people/brian-cox-12855/|publisher=Royal Society |location=London|title=Professor Brian Cox OBE FRS|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160429121525/https://royalsociety.org/people/brian-cox-12855/|archive-date=29 April 2016}}]]

In addition to the main fellowships of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS & HonFRS), other fellowships are available which are applied for by individuals, rather than through election. These fellowships are research grant awards and holders are known as Royal Society Research Fellows.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160503045104/https://royalsociety.org/fellows/research-fellows-directory/|title=Research Fellows directory|archive-date=2016-05-03|url=https://royalsociety.org/fellows/research-fellows-directory}}

• University research fellowships (URFs): Royal Society University Research Fellowships are for outstanding scientists in the UK who are in the early stages of their research career and have the potential to become leaders in their field.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160203164426/https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/grants/university-research/|archive-date=2016-02-03|url=https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/grants/university-research/|publisher=Royal Society|title=University Research Fellowship: for outstanding scientists in the UK}} Previous holders of URFs to have been elected FRS at a later date include Richard Borcherds (1994), Jean Beggs (1998), Frances Ashcroft (1999), Athene Donald (1999) and John Pethica (1999).{{cite journal|last1=Cook|first1=Alan|author-link1=Alan Cook (physicist)|title=URFs become FRS: Frances Ashcroft, Athene Donald and John Pethica|journal=Notes and Records of the Royal Society|volume=54|issue=3|year=2000|pages=409–411|doi=10.1098/rsnr.2000.0181|s2cid=58095147}} More recent awardees include Terri Attwood, Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, Brian Cox, Sarah Bridle, Shahn Majid, Tanya Monro, Beth Shapiro, David J. Wales and Katherine Willis.
• Royal Society Leverhulme Trust senior research fellowships are for scientists who would benefit from a period of full-time research without teaching and administrative duties, supported by the Leverhulme Trust.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160118145840/https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/grants/leverhulme-trust-senior-research/|archive-date=2016-01-18|url=https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/grants/leverhulme-trust-senior-research/|publisher=Royal Society|title=Royal Society Leverhulme Trust Senior Research Fellowship}}
• Newton advanced fellowships provide established international researchers with an opportunity to develop the research strengths and capabilities of their research group. These are provided by the Newton Fund as part of the UK's official development assistance.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160515015545/https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/grants/newton-advanced-fellowships/|archive-date=2016-05-15|url=https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/grants/newton-advanced-fellowships/|publisher=Royal Society|location=London|title=Newton Advanced Fellowships}}
• Industry fellowships are for academic scientists who want to work on a collaborative project with industry, and for scientists in industry who want to work on a collaborative project with an academic organisation.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160410040033/https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/grants/industry-fellowship/|archive-date=2016-04-10|url=https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/grants/industry-fellowship/|publisher=royalsociety.org|title=Industry Fellowships}}
• Dorothy Hodgkin fellowships are for outstanding scientists in the UK at an early stage of their research career who require a flexible working pattern due to personal circumstances. These fellowships are named after Dorothy Hodgkin.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906151814/https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/grants/dorothy-hodgkin/|archive-date=2015-09-06|url=https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/grants/dorothy-hodgkin/|publisher=royalsociety.org|location=London|title=Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship}}

In addition to the award of Fellowship (FRS, HonFRS & ForMemRS) and the Research Fellowships described above, several other awards, lectures and medals of the Royal Society are also given.

• Royal Society
• List of fellows of the Royal Society
• List of female fellows of the Royal Society
• Royal Fellow of the Royal Society

{{reflist|30em}}

{{commons}}

• [https://royalsociety.org/fellows/fellows-directory/ Database of current fellows ]
• [https://catalogues.royalsociety.org/CalmView/personsearch.aspx Database of past fellows ]

{{Fellows of the Royal Society}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Academic awards

Category:Fellows of learned societies of the United Kingdom

Category:Royal Society

Category:1663 establishments in England