External affairs
In January 2015, the Austrian National Chapter of the ESB was founded. As with the other national chapters, it aims at promoting and disseminating biomechanics research at the national level. An interim executive committee has been formed, consisting of drs. Philipp Thurner, Christian Hellmich and Werner Schmölz. This committee is to be confirmed or replaced at the first general assembly of the chapter, which is scheduled for the upcoming annual meeting of the ESB in Prague. The Austrian National Chapter is the third National Chapter to be founded, after the Italian and Spanish Chapters.
In February 2015 the ESB affiliated with the Portuguese Society of Biomechanics (SPB). The SPB was founded in 1989 with the goal of encouraging, disseminating and supporting the biomechanics research undertaken in Portugal. Since 2005, the SPB is organizing a biannual SPB Congress; these congresses promote the collaboration among Portuguese researchers and the participation of students and young researchers are particularly welcomed in order to assure the growth and the renewal of this scientific area. The affiliation to SPB will aid the ESB goal to further strengthen the Biomechanics scientific community at the European level.
ESB also became affiliated with the European College of Sport Science (ECSS). Through their platform, ESB can address the ECSS members. We can announce upcoming sport science or sport medicine related event(s), announce your scholarships, grants and job vacancies, reach out to the international sport science community and stimulate high profile applications.
In March 2015, new council members have been elected for the European Alliance of Medical and Biological Engineering and Science (EAMBES). For the upcoming two years, Jari Hyttinen (Tampere University of Technology) will be the president. The entire composition of the board can be found here: http://www.eambes.org/governance.
EAMBES has also published its yearly “EAMBES state of the alliance 2015” in which the EAMBES President addresses all biomedical engineers and scientists in Europe, and summarises the EAMBES’ activities in the last year. Comments and suggestions are welcomed and can be sent to Ms Eve Costa, the Manager at EAMBES, or to Harry van Lenthe, the ESB representative in EAMBES.