Many assessment frameworks (REF, NIH renewal, hiring) explicitly use short time windows (the past 5-10 years) to capture current productivity. By contrast, lifetime contribution assessment is more relevant for selecting fellows of national academies, awarding lifetime achievement prizes, or considering nominations where the question is 'has this researcher made a sustained, important contribution to the field?' The lens combines retrospective qualitative judgement with selective citation of landmark outputs and impacts. The approach is compatible with narrative CVs and is increasingly used by funders piloting career-trajectory awards rather than project grants.
References
- Royal Society fellowship election guidance. NIH MERIT awards documentation.