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The 4S Council 2026 elections will begin with a call for nominations on March 31, 2026 closing on April 10, 2026*. Extended until April 19, 2026.
There will be two seats for general 4S Council this year. Additionally, there will be one seat for President-elect, one seat for Treasurer, and one seat for a 6S student representative. The roster will be announced here after the next 4S Council meeting on June 24, 2026. The annual Council elections will commence soon after around June 25, 2026 and will close three weeks from date the election opens.
Details on term lengths can be found below.
For any initial questions for 4S Council positions, please reach out to Sonja Van Wichelen (Chair of the Nominations/Elections Committee).
For any questions for 6S Council representative, please reach out to Zhaopeng Li (6S representative).
You can contact both by emailing info@4sonline.org and entitling the email “4S Elections Enquiry” and “6S Elections Enquiry,” respectively.
Terms and Responsibilities of 4S Council and 6S Representatives (from 2026–)
4S Council members are elected by the membership in annual elections, serving a three-year term beginning immediately after the annual 4S meeting in the year they are elected. Four members are elected annually from a roster of candidates. Council members are expected to participate in approximately four meetings during the calendar year, with one face-to-face meeting at the annual meeting (generally on the day before the conference starts). All other meetings are held virtually. Throughout the year, Council members serve on prize committees, standing committees and ad hoc committees, overseeing the core activities of the Society (its publishing program and website, for example). Standing and ad hoc committees produce reports that are discussed by Council and with 4S membership. Council members help sustain the regular activities of the Society and help envision new activities and directions.
All 4S members are eligible for nomination for a 4S Council seat. A final roster of candidates is selected by the Council’s Election Committee, which also runs the annual (spring) elections.
Elected representatives of 6S (the Student Section of the 4S) serve a three-year term beginning immediately after the annual 4S meeting in the year they are elected. One representative is elected annually from three candidates. Working together, (three) 6S representatives are responsible for maintaining open communication with graduate students and junior scholars in 4S, representing their interests and concerns to the 4S Council. 6S representatives are members of the 4S Council (two are voting, one is non-voting) and fully participate in Council meetings and serve on committees. 6S representatives help attune the Society to the special needs of graduate students and junior scholars while also helping plan the Society's future.
All 4S members who are graduate students (at the time of the election) are eligible for nomination for a 6S representative seat. A final roster of candidates is selected by the Council’s Election Committee, whose membership includes 6S representatives.
Elections Criteria
A 4S council member is an ambassador for the Society for Social Studies of Science, 4S. The Society defines a good ambassador as having (a) a good understanding of the Society, (b) an ability to collaborate and serve, and (c) contribute to the mission of 4S through any of the following Society’s activities (i.e., committees, conferences, journals, blogs, among others).
4S President is elected by the membership from a roster of candidates in annual elections, serving a one-year term as President-Elect followed by a two-year term as President. The one-year term as President-Elect begins immediately after the annual 4S meeting in the year they are elected. All 4S members are eligible for nomination for the 4S President position.
With assistance from the Society’s Secretary, Treasurer, Executive Director, and Council, the President ensures that regular activities of the Society are planned and in good order, while also leading efforts to improve the Society’s operations and envision future directions. Presidents are expected to chair approximately four meetings during the calendar year, with one face-to-face meeting at the annual meeting (generally on the day before the conference starts). All other meetings are held virtually.
The President shall have general charge of the affairs of the Society. The President of the Society (or a member of the Council designated by the President) presides over all meetings of the Society and of the Council. The President establishes committees to plan the Society’s annual conference, to oversee the Society website and publishing program, and to run elections, for example. The President may appoint ad hoc committees as circumstances dictate or the Council recommends. The President-Elect assists the President of the Society in management of the Society.
The President serves as an ex-officio member of all Society committees, is a voting member of Council, and represents 4S in dealings with other organizations. The President organizes and presides over Council meetings and the open business meeting at the annual conference. The President also helps identify and contract for future meeting venues with the Future Meetings Committee. The President also organizes a Presidential Plenary or delivers a Presidential Address at each annual meeting and communicates monthly with 4S members through a President’s message in Technoscience.
The retiring President serves for two years as an ex-officio Council member, but is otherwise ineligible for election in that period. Former Presidents serve as ex-officio members of the Council, without voting rights.
4S Treasurer is a Council member who holds custody of the funds of the Society. The Treasurer is elected from a roster of candidates and serves a three-year term beginning immediately after the annual 4S meeting in the year they are elected. The Treasurer serves as the Chair of Finance Committee responsible for seeking financing options for the Society and reporting to Council and the President on financial matters facing the Society. As 4S finances are held in US institutions, and the President, President-Elect and Executive Director are all based outside the US the incoming 4S Treasurer must be an American citizen and reside in the United States.
4S Secretary is a Council member who holds custody for communicating the agenda of Council meetings and for transmitting committee reports to members of the Council, and the safe-keeping of its records. The Secretary is elected from a roster of candidates and serves a three-year term beginning immediately after the annual 4S meeting in the year they are elected.
The Secretary is responsible for the conduct of elections and reporting to Council and the President on election matters facing the Society. All other Council duties and eligibilities specified above apply to the Secretary, including Council meeting attendance and service on prize committees, standing committees, and ad hoc committees. This position will come into the elections cycle in 2027.
More soon!