December 2024

Table of Contents

• President's Blog 

  There has been a lot of activity in several ISB portfolios in the past 3 months...  [read more]

• Student's Corner

Updates from the Student Representative

• Looking for graduate positions and employment?... [read more] 

ISB Student Grant News 

• Upcoming grants, including the Matching Dissertation Grant (MDG), International Travel Grant Program (ITG), and International Affiliate Development Grant (IADG), will be accepting applications with a deadline of January 15, 2025.... [read more] 

• Biomechanics Through Time

  The International Society of Biomechanics (ISB) holds its congress biennially, the roots of these congresses started in the late 1960s and early 1970s with.... [read more]

• Special Article

  Have you ever thought about nominating for a position on the ISB Council? This interview with ISB leaders offers valuable insights into the rewards and responsibilities of serving the biomechanics community. ...[read more]

• ISB 2025... get ready!

Explore ISB2025 Tutorials

• Cutting-edge biomechanics techniques at ISB2025, from statistical shape modeling and biophysical muscle simulations to dynamic movement analysis and high-density surface EMG ... [read more] 

ISB2025 Congress Awards 

• It is our pleasure to announce the award competitions for the XXX Congress of the International Society of Biomechanics to be held in Stockholm, Sweden from July 27-31st 2025.... [read more]  

• EDC News

Economically developing countries (EDC): travel grants 

• Up to five grants will be awarded, each providing monetary support of up to 2,500 USD to help cover the costs associated with attending the conference ... [read more] 

• Technical Group News

Comparative Neuromuscular Biomechanics

• The CNB-ISB 2025 Satellite meeting: Muscle-Tendon Mechanics Across Species is officially on! [read more] 

Footwear Biomechanics Group  

• Join the 17th Biennial Footwear Biomechanics Symposium on July 23–25, 2025, in Oslo, featuring Nike-funded travel awards to promote diversity in footwear biomechanics.... [read more] 

Motor Control Technical Group  

• The ISB Technical Group on Motor Control has committed, in agreement with the organizers of the ISB 2025 Congress in Stockholm, and the WCB 2026 organizers in Vancouver, to host Half-day Motor Control Symposia.... [read more] 

3-D Analysis of Human Movement Technical Group

• We are thrilled to announce that the 2026 edition of the 3D Analysis of Human Movement (3DAHM) Symposium will be held in the vibrant city of.... [read more] 

• Affiliate Societies 

American Society of Biomechanics 

• Do you know what are the Student Author AMA Series and the Professional Development Series?... [read more] 

• Around the World

Know your representative in the Council and share your news! 

• We invite our members to share news, achievements, and updates from their region with the council... [read more] 

South America Representative

• The Chilean Association of Movement Sciences (ACCM): attendees included researchers from various countries. Prof. Heiliane de Brito Fontana, Prof. Felipe Carpes, and Prof. Walter Herzog served as keynote presenters...[read more]

• From December 3–6, 2024, Montevideo, Uruguay, hosted the 18th International Symposium of the ISB Technical Group on 3-D Analysis of Human Movement ... [read more] 

• The Brazilian Congress of Biomechanics is an official event of the Brazilian Society of Biomechanics that takes place every two years in different locations around the country...  [read more] 

President's Blog

Abstract submission is now open for ISB2025! Please get your abstracts in by the end of January. Also be sure to check out the student and postdoc travel awards, and the EDC travel awards and grant competition for the ISB Congress, with details in this newsletter (see “Student Grant News” and “EDC News”).

Of course we are also in the middle of our nominations process for the upcoming ISB Council Elections. In this issue you will see a Q&A article written by Heiliane (Lily) Fontana, our publications officer, as an interview of the 3 ISB Presidents (Past, Current, and Future). We are presenting this article in this newsletter to describe our experiences of being involved in the ISB Executive Council for anyone who wants to know more about this great role, in case you are considering nominating yourself or someone else.

There has also been a lot of activity in several ISB portfolios in the past 3 months – and these are featured in reports from the relevant officers – these include Student News, Student (and postdoc) Grants, Congress Awards, Congress Tutorials, EDC Travel Grants and Grant Competition, and updates from several technical groups and affiliate societies. Please take a look at the specific items in the newsletter for further details, and also enjoy a brief history of early biomechanics cover images in the “Biomechanics Through Time” article.

As I close writing this blog, I am about to attend an ISB Women in Biomechanics Wiki edit-a-thon, in Melbourne, Australia. There are 28 people in the room writing articles for wiki about women in biomechanics. It has been amazing to learn about the wiki editing process and ISB is very proud to be involved with IWB (our affiliate society) in this initiative to improve the visibility of women in biomechanics on Wikipedia. Please look out for the many new pages coming soon, and look out for other edit-a-thon opportunities near you.

Elizabeth Clarke

ISB President 

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Updates from the Student Representative

Overview

I hope that everyone is off to a great start this semester!

Tips

• For any and all graduate positions and employment, remember to stay up to date with Biomch-L here.
• The American Society of Biomechanics Student Committee has developed exciting learning opportunities for students! Check out the article in the "Affiliate Societies" section of this newsletter for more details.

Get ready for ISB 2025 in Stockholm!

The 30^th Congress of the International Society of Biomechanics  27 - 31 July 2025 

We have an exciting student night out planned for you all and I can’t wait to see you in Stockholm!

REMINDERS:

• Submit your abstract by January 31^st, 2025 here!
• Be sure to apply for the Congress Travel Grant (CTG)! This grant will be offered to help reduce the travel expenses to attend the XXX ISB Congress in Stockholm. There will be several awarded travel grants, from $600 USD up to $1200 USD! See details below in the ISB Student Grant News

We have some great plans forming for the student event and the student-mentor lunch. Be sure to stay on the lookout as more information will follow in the months to come. Looking forward to seeing you all next year!

Are you interested in becoming the next ISB Student Representative?

Elections are right around the corner, and we are still accepting nominations for our next ISB Student Representative. If you're interested or have any questions about this rewarding opportunity, feel free to reach out to me!

Science in the Break (SitB)

Be sure to watch the latest videos on Youtube!

Are you interested in participating? Did we miss a topic you would like to chat about? Do you want to learn how to interview people or edit videos professionally?

Reach out to us via email (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) or Twitter (@ISBiomechanics and @ScilnTheBreak). We are always excited to connect with passionate students – we look forward to chatting with you and sharing your experiences/research with the community!

Keep in touch!

Stay up to date with ISB by liking our ISB Facebook page, joining the Student Members Facebook page, and following ISB on Twitter. Please reach out to me with any comments, questions, suggestions, or just to talk. You can contact me at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Best Wishes,

Shaye Tiell

ISB Student Representative

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ISB Student Grant News

The student grant program deadlines have been updated for 2025

Upcoming grants, including the Matching Dissertation Grant (MDG), International Travel Grant Program (ITG), and International Affiliate Development Grant (IADG), will be accepting applications with a deadline of January 15, 2025. These long-standing student grants offer support to grow your research toolbox, network with a visit to a lab in another country and support the completion of your dissertation project.

The XXX ISB Congress will be in Stockholm, Sweden next summer. The Student Congress Travel Grant is back with a deadline of Jan 31, 2025. These grants will vary in size from $600 USD up to $1200 USD, according to the distance from the Congress city. To be eligible for this grant the student must be first author of the abstract and presenter of the paper at the Congress. At the time of application for the grant you must not have defended your dissertation or concluded your degree program. More details can be found on the ISB website.   

**Attention Postdocs** The ISB will be supporting a postdoc congress travel grant again for 2025! These $500 USD awards may offset costs for registration to the Congress. To be eligible for the award the postdoc must be the first author of the abstract and presenter of the paper at the Congress. The deadline to apply is Jan 31, 2025. More details can be found on the ISB website.  

Friendly reminder: you and your advisor must be active financial members of the ISB to participate in these grant programs. Don’t forget to renew to your membership for 2025! 

More details are available at https://isbweb.org/students/student-grants.

Erica Bell, PhD

ISB Executive Council Student Awards Officer

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

**Please note the above email address change**!   

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Biomechanics Through Time

Here, you will uncover historical information about the society. Enjoy these nuggets curated by John Challis, our Archives Officer.  

The International Society of Biomechanics (ISB) holds its congress biennially, the roots of these congresses started in the late 1960s and early 1970s with a series of seminars.  Each of the first four seminars had published proceedings,

• Zurich in 1967 the First International Seminar on Biomechanics

          Wartenweiler, J., Jokl, E. & Hebbelinck, M. (1968) Biomechanics.  New York: Basel.

• Eindhoven in 1969 the Second International Seminar on Biomechanics

          Wartenweiler, J., Jokl, E. & Hebbelinck, M. (1971) Biomechanics II.  New York: Karger.

• Rome in 1971 the Third International Seminar on Biomechanics

          Cerquiglini, A. Venerando, & Wartenweiler J. (1973) Biomechanics III.  New York: Karger.

• State College in 1973 the Fourth International Seminar on Biomechanics

          Nelson, R. C., & Morehouse, C. A. (1974). Biomechanics IV.  Baltimore: University Park Press.

It was at this fourth seminar that the ISB was formed.  The ISB congresses are numbered not starting at the first in 1975 (Jyväskylä, Finland), but starting from the 1967 seminar.

The first two books of the proceedings have images from Étienne-Jules Marey (1830-1904) on their covers, the third is from Harold "Doc" Edgerton (1903-1990), and the fourth represents state of the art computer graphics in the early 1970s.  The diving sequence was produced by Doris Miller.

Doris is a charter member of the ISB and was the first woman to serve on the ISB Executive Council.  In 2009 she was appointed as an honorary member of the ISB.  This honorary membership is restricted to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the ISB and the field of biomechanics; Doris is one of only two women to have received this award to date.  Doris held positions at various universities: University of Toronto (1961–1963), University of Saskatchewan, (1964–1967, 1970–1973), University of Washington (1973–1984), and the University of Western Ontario (1984–2000), where she is currently a Professor Emerita.

In 1967 Doris enrolled at Penn State University to undertake a PhD supervised by Richard Nelson (2^nd ISB President, serving as president from 1977 to 1982).  Her work focused on diving and in 1970 resulted in a thesis titled “A Computer Simulation Model of the Airborne Phase of Diving”.  The images on the cover of Biomechanics IV arise from that work.

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Special article: Considering an ISB Council Nomination? Insights from ISB Presidents

From left to right: Alberto Leardini (Past President), Toni Arndt (Former President), Felipe Carpes (President-Elect), and Elizabeth Clarke (Current President)

Have you ever thought about nominating for a position on the ISB Council? This interview with ISB leaders offers valuable insights into the rewards and responsibilities of serving the biomechanics community. Current President Elizabeth Clarke, Past President Alberto Leardini, and President-Elect Felipe Carpes share their experiences, challenges, and aspirations for ISB’s future, highlighting the profound impact of this leadership journey.

A Journey of Growth and Connection

All three presidents emphasized the profound personal and professional growth they’ve experienced during their tenure. Serving ISB has not only advanced their careers but also fostered a global sense of community. They unanimously agreed that building relationships with colleagues from diverse cultures who share a passion for biomechanics has been one of the most rewarding aspects of their roles. These connections have often led to collaborative opportunities, mentorship, and lifelong friendships.

For Felipe Carpes, the journey began at the ISB Congress 2013 in Brazil, where he attended a workshop on biomechanics in economically developing countries (EDCs). Encouraged by former ISB Council members to stand for election, Felipe has since been dedicated to advancing ISB’s mission. Reflecting on his journey, he remarked, “One of the most rewarding aspects has been witnessing the value people place on ISB's work and its role in advancing biomechanics globally.”

Elizabeth Clarke, with eight years of service on the council—first as Technical Groups Officer and now as President—echoed similar sentiments. “The friendships and sense of community I’ve gained have opened doors to collaborations, mentoring, and sponsorship opportunities,” she shared, emphasizing the personal and professional enrichment ISB has brought her.

With nearly 12 years of service, Alberto Leardini celebrated the society’s international spirit. “It’s fascinating to see similar attitudes and goals across cultures, which underscores the richness of diversity in our field,” he said. Alberto values the opportunity to learn from colleagues worldwide, gaining insights into their commitment and balance between professional and personal life.

Continuity in Leadership

The ISB’s unique leadership model—with Past, Current, and Elect Presidents working together—has been vital to the society’s growth. Alberto described the roles succinctly: “The Elected to learn and to think, the Past to give wise suggestions, and the actual President to work hard but never alone.”

This shared leadership structure ensures continuity, allowing the society to build on existing initiatives while addressing new challenges. The presidents highlighted fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion as a key challenge, reflecting the evolving values of academia and the global biomechanics community. They emphasized listening to all voices, recognizing the contributions of past leaders, and encouraging collaboration to achieve ISB’s long-term goals.

Key Developments in ISB

Recent progress within ISB demonstrates its commitment to inclusivity and global engagement. The society has expanded support for biomechanics communities in economically developing countries through initiatives such as travel grants, mentorship programs, and the establishment of national societies, including the South African Society of Biomechanics and the Chilean Society of Human Movement Sciences.

Another significant development has been the integration of equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives into ISB’s core activities, including congress workshops and mentoring sessions. These efforts not only broaden participation but also send a powerful message about the society’s values.

The presidents also reflected on ISB’s 50th anniversary celebrations, which offered a moment to reflect on the society’s achievements and renew its vision for the future. From formalizing recommendation papers to supporting student-led initiatives, ISB continues to position itself as a supportive and strategic platform in the global biomechanics community.

Advice for Aspiring Leaders

For those considering a role on the ISB Council, the presidents offered collective perspective: commitment, collaboration, and a clear sense of purpose are essential. While the role demands time and dedication, it offers the unique opportunity to shape the biomechanics field and give back to a community that has nurtured so many careers.

“We all have received much from those who came before us, and it’s our responsibility to give back to those who come after us,” they agreed.

If you are interested in joining the ISB Council, please contact Alberto Leardini at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to discuss your nomination.

The ISB’s 50th anniversary celebrations were mentioned in this interview: have you taken some time to read the special issues that were published in various journals in celebration? They are imperdible! Click here to go back to a table we published in the ISB Now June edition. The editorial for the issue on neuromechanics was recently published.

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ISB2025 Congress Tutorials

 ISB2025 Tutorials

We are pleased to announce four exciting tutorials that will be offered on Sunday 27^th July 2025 at ISB2025! Keep an eye on the conference page for information regarding registration at these tutorials. The tutorials are designed to be hands-on, allowing attendees to work through provided materials provided by the tutors.  

An overview of the four tutorials is as follows:

A Biomechanist’s Guide and Toolbox for Statistical Shape Modeling of Bones and Joints

Allison Clouthier, University of Ottawa; Anthony Gatti, Stanford University; Erin CS Lee, University of Waterloo; Michael J Rainbow, Queen’s University; Lauren Welte, University of Alberta

Bone and joint geometry play a critical role in determining joint movement patterns and loading. Statistical shape modelling (SSM) serves as an umbrella term encompassing diverse approaches to quantifying shape and its variations. This workshop will introduce SSM, highlighting its many applications in biomechanics and adjacent fields. Attendees will gain insights through an overview of SSM methodologies and practical, hands-on demonstrations. Implemented via Google Colab, these demonstrations will allow participants to build their own models using supplied datasets or their own data. The workshop is designed to accommodate beginners and those with more experience, ensuring a valuable experience for all attendees.

Biophysical muscle models for musculoskeletal simulation

Lena Ting, Emory University and Georgia Tech; Surabhi Simha, Emory University and Georgia Tech; Hansol Ryu, Georgia Tech and Emory University; Tim van der Zee, KU Leuven; Friedl De Groote, KU Leuven

To date, there are extremely few musculoskeletal movement simulations that use biophysics-based muscle models. Most simulations use phenomenological models of muscle force generation, i.e. “Hill-type models” that provide black-box input-output relationships between muscle activation, length, and force, offering no insight into biological processes of muscle. Because data underlying Hill-type models is collected in controlled isometric or isotonic experiments, Hill-type models have poor fidelity in behaviourally-relevant movements in which muscles’ operating conditions are very different from those in the experiments that underlie the model. For example, we previously needed to extend Hill-type models with a phenomenological description of short-range stiffness to capture the response of the muscle to stretch in clinical tests and during standing balance. Recently, we have developed biophysical muscle models based on muscle crossbridge dynamics from which both force-velocity and short-range stiffness properties emerge. In this workshop, we will present (1) these biophysical muscle models as well as (2) musculoskeletal simulations using these biophysical models using open-source software based on OpenSim. Hands-on tutorials will focus on simulating a clinical test of joint hyper resistance and perturbed standing balance.  The workshop will consist of a seminar on biophysical muscle modeling followed by a hands-on session during which participants will perform musculoskeletal simulations using the biophysical muscle model.

“In the wild” movement analysis using dynamic simulations

Anne Koelewijn, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg; Ton van den Bogert, Cleveland State University

Dynamic movement simulations have gained prominence in biomechanics in the last ten years, because improved computational techniques allow for them to be created within 10 minutes in two dimensions and within 45 minutes in three dimensions. These simulations describe a dynamically consistent movement of a musculoskeletal dynamics model entirely from its initial state and muscle stimulation inputs. They are created by solving an optimization problem that finds a simulation that minimizes an objective related to effort or energy expenditure minimization. This approach replicates the optimization used in the central nervous system to plan and execute movements, where energy/effort minimization is also the main goal during gait. Therefore, these simulations can be used to predict new movements without using any measurements or based on reference measurements, but they can also be used to reconstruct movements from incomplete or inaccurate gait measurements, which allows for movements to be measured accurately “in the wild”.

The goal of the tutorial is to teach participants how to use dynamics simulations to reconstruct movements from measured data and use this approach for “in the wild” movements. The tutorial’s focus is on inertial measurement units (IMUs), but the concept can be used for other sensors as well, such as optical motion capturing and force plates. The concept is to add virtual sensors to a musculoskeletal model, and then find a simulation that minimizes two objectives: (1) effort and (2) a tracking error between the measured data and the simulated data from the virtual sensors. This way, we can find the movement of the musculoskeletal model that best matches the experimental measurement, and thus the actual recorded movement. When experimental data is not available, the movement will be the most likely movement according to the first objective (effort minimization). Therefore, this approach can also be used to analyse incomplete data, e.g. when using a sparse sensor set with only a small number of IMUs. The tutorial will use our “BioSimToolbox”, which is mostly in MATLAB and some c-code.

ISEK Workshop: High Density Surface Electromyography - from recording to motor unit identification and analysis

Silvia Muceli, Chalmers University; Francesco Negro, University of Brescia; Francois Hug, Université Côte d'Azur; Simon Avrillon, Nantes University; Giacomo Valli, University of Brescia

A robust and accurate estimation of muscle activation during voluntary contractions is crucial for understanding human movement. Traditionally, this has been achieved using bipolar surface electromyography (EMG), which provides only a limited perspective on overall muscle activation and precludes the possibility to identify individual motor unit activity. Recently, multichannel technology has been introduced to record EMG signals in humans during voluntary contractions. This involves high-density (HD) two-dimensional surface electrode arrays that can cover large areas of the investigated muscles. This non-invasive technology is easily adaptable to both laboratory and clinical settings and offers significant advantages over traditional bipolar recordings. It provides critical insights into both peripheral (physiological and geometrical muscle fiber properties) and central (neural drive) aspects of muscle function. Moreover, HD surface EMG recordings can be decomposed into individual motor unit activity, using advanced blind source separation techniques, offering a non-invasive, direct, and reliable measure of alpha motor neuron activity innervating various muscles. The objectives of this tutorial are: 1) To provide an overview of the characteristics of high-density surface EMG signals and best practices for its reliable detection during voluntary contractions in humans, 2) To explain the fundamentals of motor unit decomposition from high-density EMG signals, 3) To demonstrate dimensionality reduction techniques applied to motor unit spike trains and their relevance for understanding muscle control, 4) To offer hands-on experience on motor unit decomposition and processing motor unit spike trains using open-source tools.

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ISB2025 Congress Awards

It is our pleasure to announce the award competitions for the XXX Congress of the International Society of Biomechanics to be held in Stockholm, Sweden from July 27-31^st 2025.

 For additional information look to the Congress Website or contact Katherine Boyer or Taylor Dick, the ISB Awards Officers, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The application deadline is January 31, 2025.

Awards

1. David Winter Young Investigator Awards(Podium and Poster awards). These awards acknowledge graduate researchers who are performing superior biomechanics research, and are sponsored by the Journal of Biomechanics (Elsevier). Candidates must be first author of an abstract submission and should not have been awarded a PhD prior to abstract submission. The winners will be invited to give a plenary presentation at the Congress Award session, will receive a certificate, USD $750 and free ISB membership for 2 years. Application deadline is the abstract deadline for the Congress (January 31, 2025).

2. Clinical Biomechanics Award. This award recognizes excellence in research in the field of clinical biomechanics, and is sponsored by the journal Clinical Biomechanics (Elsevier) Candidates must be first author of an abstract submission and the application is open to anyone. The winner receives a certificate, USD $1250 and the opportunity to publish their research in the journal Clinical Biomechanics. Application deadline is the abstract deadline for the Congress (January 31, 2025).

3. Promising Scientist Award. This award acknowledges researchers who have performed superior biomechanics research early in their career, and is sponsored by the International Society of Biomechanics. Candidates must be first author and have been awarded a PhD by the time of the Congress but not be more than 5 years post-PhD at the time of the Congress. The award winner will be invited to give a plenary presentation at the ISB Congress, will receive a certificate, USD $5000, and be granted a waiver of the registration fee for the Congress. Application deadline is the abstract deadline for the Congress (January 31, 2025)

4. The Jacquelin Perry Emerging Female Scientist Award. This award acknowledges female researchers who have performed superior biomechanics research early in their career, and is sponsored by the International Society of Biomechanics. Candidates must be first author of an abstract submission, must be female and have been awarded a PhD by the time of the Congress, but they should not be more than 5 years post-PhD. The award winner will be invited to give a plenary presentation at the ISB Congress, will receive a certificate, USD $5000, and be granted a waiver of the registration fee for the Congress. Application deadline is the abstract deadline for the Congress (January 31, 2025).

5. Carlo de Luca Emerging Scientist Award. This award recognizes excellence in graduate research in the area of motor control and electromyography, and is sponsored by Delsys. Candidates must not have received their PhD before the previous ISB Congress (ie: more than 2 years post PhD). The award winner will be invited to give a plenary presentation at the Congress, will receive a certificate, USD $2500, and a waiver of the registration fee. Application deadline is the abstract deadline for the Congress (January 31, 2025).

6. ISB World Athletics Award for Biomechanics. This award recognizes excellence in an area of biomechanics determined by World Athletics, and is sponsored by World Athletics. This year’s theme is  Biomechanics of Running and Injuries. Authors of five selected abstracts will be asked to submit a full-length paper. The winner will submit their paper to the Journal of Applied Biomechanics and will be invited to give a plenary presentation at the Congress and will receive a certificate and USD $5000. Application deadline is the abstract deadline for the Congress (January 31, 2025).

Taylor Dick, PhD and Katherine Boyer, PhD

ISB Executive Council  Awards Officers

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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EDC News

Economically developing countries (EDC): travel grants 

The EDC Student Travel Grant aims to support students from Economically Developing Countries (EDCs) in attending ISB 2025 in Stockholm, Sweden. Up to five grants will be awarded, each providing monetary support of up to 2,500 USD to help cover the costs associated with attending the conference.

Requirements:

• Eligibility: Candidates must be enrolled as graduate students at institutions located in EDCs and must have submitted an abstract for ISB 2025 via the abstract submission system.
• Selection: A committee of ISB council members will review the abstracts and select five recipients.
• Deadline: The application deadline is January 31st (CET).

How to Apply: Indicate your application for the EDC Student Travel Grant by ticking the relevant box in the abstract submission system. Additionally, please inform the ISB EDC officer, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. of your intent to apply.

Post-Congress Requirement: Grant recipients are expected to submit a report about their experience attending ISB 2025 for publication in the ISB newsletter.

For more details, visit the ISB 2025 congress webpage: https://isb2025.com/edc-grants.

Economically developing countries (EDC):  Developing Countries Grant Competition

The Developing Countries Grant Competition (DCGC) is designed to award five research projects from biomechanics groups in EDCs. Its purpose is to encourage innovative and collaborative activities to advance biomechanics in these regions. Each winner will receive a certificate and a monetary award of 1,250 USD for scientific purposes. Winners are expected to present their projects at ISB 2025.

Requirements:

• Eligibility: Any biomechanics researcher from an EDC may apply. The principal applicant must be a current ISB member in good standing. Proposals can include team members from outside EDCs, but the project must be developed within an EDC.
• Submission: Applications must follow the grant guidelines and use the provided proposal template. Submit your application via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
• Deadline: The application deadline is February 28th (CET).

Post-Congress Requirement: Winners must write a report for the ISB newsletter, detailing how the grant supported their project and contributed to advancing biomechanics in their EDC. Publications resulting from the research should acknowledge the DCGC award.

For more details, visit the ISB 2025 congress webpage.

Important note: Please be aware that you can apply for one EDC grant only.

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Comparative Neuromuscular Biomechanics Technical Group

Our CNB-ISB 2025 Satellite meeting: Muscle-Tendon Mechanics Across Species is officially on!

The Comparative Neuromuscular Biomechanics Technical Group (CNB), in collaboration with researchers at the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä (JYU), and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam are planning a 2 day/3 night in-person satellite meeting in Helsinki, Finland July 23^rd-26^th 2025, prior to the ISB2025 Congress in Stockholm, Sweden.  The meeting location is Backby Manor. 

This meeting is being organized by Taylor Dick, Taija Finni, Neil Cronin, Jonas Rubenson, and Huub Maas and is currently sponsored by the Finnish Federation of Learned Societies, The Company of Biologists with meeting student and post-doc awards sponsored by The Journal of Experimental Biology and Delsys.

More details of the meeting can be found on the CNB website, with an open call for abstract submissions planned in early 2025.

CNB members at the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB) meeting 2025

Many CNB members will be attending the upcoming annual meeting of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology in Atlanta, USA 3^rd -7^th January 2024.  SICB hosts a large number of scientists interested in human and comparative biomechanics, and we hope to encourage them to join CNB and become involved in the International Society for Biomechanics.  There are a variety of sessions within the program on biomechanics, neuromechanics and muscle physiology.

Here are a few sessions to keep an eye out for:

• Muscles, Movement & Evolution: Commemorating Andrew Biewener's contributions to vertebrate biomechanics, January 6^th
• Muscle ch-ch-ch-ch-changes, January 4th
• Case these joints, January 4th
• Fleshing it out: recent advances in form, function and motor control of biological hydrostats, January 4th
• (Muscle) work it real good, January 7^th

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Footwear Biomechanics Group

The 17th Biennial Footwear Biomechanics Symposium is taking place on July 23–25, 2025, at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Oslo, Norway!

An important date for your diaries:

• Abstract Submission Deadline: February 14, 2025

The Footwear Biomechanics Group has announced Nike-funded travel awards for the symposium. These awards aim to promote diversity in footwear biomechanics by supporting underrepresented researchers, geographical regions, studies on underrepresented sports, and research involving underrepresented populations.

The website is being frequently updated: FBS 2025 Website. Please check for the latest information.

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Motor Control Technical Group

The ISB Technical Group on Motor Control has committed, in agreement with the organizers of the ISB 2025 Congress in Stockholm, and the WCB 2026 organizers in Vancouver, to host Half-day Motor Control Symposia within the regular conference schedules. Our thanks go to the organizers of these conferences for accommodating us in this generous manner.

Dr. Disselhorst-Klug gave an exciting Opening Lecture on the 14th Applied Neuromechanics Conference in Florianopolis, Brazil, October 23-25, 2024 on “What we can learn from surface electromyography: Insights into neuromechanics and motor control”

At the same conference, Delsys also gave an instructive workshop on “Integrative Analysis of Exercise using Wearable Technologies”. The full recorded video of the workshop can be found on this link. Our great thanks go to Delsys and the de Luca Foundation for sponsoring and supporting these activities.

Motor Control Technical Group

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3-D Analysis of Human Movement Technical Group

We are thrilled to announce that the 2026 edition of the 3D Analysis of Human Movement (3DAHM) Symposium will be held in the vibrant city of Cape Town, South Africa! The vent will take place under the presidency of Dr. Yumna Albertus, marking an exciting chapter for the Technical Group.

Stay tuned for updates. We look forward to welcoming you to Cape Town for a symposium filled with innovation, collaboration, and the stunning backdrop of one of the world's most beautiful cities!

3DAHM

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Affiliate Societies

Upcoming Events:

April 30 - May 3, 2025     XXI Brazilian Society of Biomechanics  Congress       Petrolina, PE, Brazil

August 13-16, 2025         American Society of Biomechanics Meeting                Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Is your affiliated society hosting an international event? Let us know so we can share it!

American Society of Biomechanics - Opportunities for Students!

Student Author AMA Series

The Student Author AMA (Ask-Me-Anything) Series is an  online event series created by students, for students. This initiative features student researchers who have recently published papers, sharing their research and experiences with the publishing process.

Catch the recordings here: Student Author AMA Series

Professional Development Series

The Professional Development Series offers online workshops designed to support students’ professional growth. These sessions feature students, post-docs, faculty, and industry partners discussing topics selected by the ASB Student Committee.

Explore more and watch recordings here: Professional Development Series

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Share Your Updates

We invite our members to share news, achievements, and updates from their region with the council. You can send your updates directly to your regional representative or connect with any council member to ensure your news is shared with our community.

For specific regions, you can contact:

• South American Representative (appointed):
  Felipe Carpes
  Center for Health Sciences
  The Federal University of Pampa
  Laboratory of Neuromechanics
  Uruguaiana, Brazil
  📧 

• Asian Representative (appointed):
  Tung-Wu Lu
  Department of Biomedical Engineering
  National Taiwan University
  Taipei, Taiwan
  📧 

• African Representative (appointed):
  Obinna Fidelis
  Department of Biomedical Engineering
  Federal University of Technology
  Akure, Nigeria
  📧 

We look forward to hearing and celebrating your updates from around the globe!

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Updates from South America

Chilean Association of Movement Sciences (ACCM) 2024 Congress

From Felipe Carpes - South American Representative

The IV Congress of the Chilean Association of Movement Sciences (ACCM), held at the University of Antofagasta from November 6–8, 2024, was an outstanding event that highlighted the advancement of movement sciences. This interdisciplinary gathering brought together professionals and researchers from fields such as biomechanics, neuroscience, psychology, physiology, and engineering. The event provided an excellent platform for networking, fostering valuable new connections between academics, industry representatives, and students. Many students actively participated, presenting their research and engaging with professionals, contributing to a vibrant and inclusive environment. The congress also played a significant role in promoting internationalization. Attendees included researchers from various countries. Prof. Heiliane Fontana and Prof. Felipe Carpes, and Prof. Walter Herzog served as keynote presenters. The participants had pleasant moments of enriching discussions and creating opportunities for future collaborative projects. This international dimension reinforced the ACCM's commitment to integrating global perspectives into movement sciences. Overall, the congress was a milestone in strengthening the scientific community, advancing research, and nurturing the next generation of experts in the field.

South America is hosting the 3DAHM Symposium next December

From Felipe Carpes - South American Representative

From December 3–6, 2024, Montevideo, Uruguay, hosted the 18th International Symposium of the ISB Technical Group on 3-D Analysis of Human Movement (3DAHM - https://3dahm2024.com/), bringing together the global ISB community. Held for the first time in Latin America, the symposium was a resounding success, marking a significant milestone in the international exchange of knowledge on 3D human movement analysis. With a special focus on Tango studies as a local highlight, the conference showcased cutting-edge research on various aspects of human movement in 3D space, including inertial sensors, rehabilitation systems, sports training equipment, 3D kinematics, and clinical applications. The event attracted participants from 25 countries, with speakers representing five continents, reflecting its truly global reach.

Presentations by members of the International Society of Biomechanics (ISB), as well as the inclusion of students and early-career researchers in the program, fostered academic exchange and networking, further strengthening international collaboration in the field. The presence of start-up companies showcasing equipment, devices, and software for human movement analysis added an innovative dimension to the event. A highlight of the symposium was the presentation of the ISB Award for the best student paper, emphasizing the high quality of the research shared.

The ISB BEST STUDENT PAPER AWARD was awarded to Ayaka Hobo, from the University of Tsukuba (Japan) with the paper titled "Non-invasive evaluation of plantar fascia strain during locomotion considering its insertion site by motion capture-ultrasound combination". 

 
The 3DAHM Scientific Committee also awarded the best posters presented in the conference:

• "Stress concentration description during knee Rotation with and without Iliotibial band-intermuscular septum lateral extra-articular tenodesis for Transtib-ial and Anteromedial Tunnels: A finite element model" presented by Carlos de La Fuente (Chile)
• "Impact of vestibular coordinate tilts on postural sway during a three dimensional pseudorandom balance perturbation assessment" presented by Manami Fujii (USA).

XXI Brazilian Congress of Biomechanics: The keynotes and program have been announced, and the abstract submission is open!

From Felipe Carpes - South American Representative

The Brazilian Congress of Biomechanics (CBB, April 30^th to May 3^rd, 2025) is an official event of the Brazilian Society of Biomechanics (SBB) that takes place every two years in different locations around the country to promote discussions on biomechanics and advance the development of the field. It is considered the largest and most important event in the field of biomechanics in Latin America. The upcoming XXI CBB will happen in Petrolina, in the Sertão of Pernambuco, and will be an opportunity for growth in the field and will allow local participation, sparking the interest of new researchers, as well as showcasing the work done in the states of Pernambuco and Bahia, primarily.

The abstract submission is due by January 10th, 2025.

We invite the community to learn more about the event program and the invited keynote speakers visiting www.cbb2025.com.br

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