Welcome to the July 2020 issue of the SfNIRS newsletter, which covers the period from March 2020 through June 2020. This period has been dominated by the COVID19 pandemic, which has been difficult for research and business. We have had to adapt to the circumstances, including scarce access to our laboratories, restricted movement, a switch to virtual meetings and conferences, among other things. Nonetheless, it has been a period full of news. Here, you’ll find what we think is a complete summary.
The communications committee looks forward to hearing from you about future news items you’d like to see posted.
From the treasury
The society has moved its membership management from Clubexpress to a membership management plugin for its WordPress-based website. This will provide better integration with our website for providing member access content, and it is a lower cost to the Society. You should have received an email recently about accessing your new membership account at fnirs.org. If you have not received this email, then please contact Stacey at admin@fnirs.org. See also the membership web page.
By David Boas and Stacey Ladieu.
fNIRS 2020 update
Just a reminder that, due to the pandemic, the 6th Biennial Meeting of the Society for functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (SfNIRS) has been postponed until 10-13th October 2021. The meeting will be held in the same venue as originally planned, and the program will be maintained as announced with only a few invited speaker changes. Visit the conference website https://fnirs2020.org to keep updated.
By Maria Angela Franceschini
Keeping SfNIRS connected
We have been working hard to set up online activities to keep us connected in the absence of face to face meetings. Find out more about our new research webinars and educational tutorials. Content will be made available to members via our website.
Continue reading.
By Clare Elwell, Judit Gervain and Felix Scholkmann.
From the Communications Committee
The society now counts two new communication channels. We have now created the official SfNIRS twitter account @SfNIRS. Also, the society has created a new YouTube channel to post video content. Some of the content on YouTube will be unlisted (they won’t appear in searches). Make sure you follow us on both sites!
By Heather Bortfeld, David Boas, Judit Gervain and Felipe Orihuela.
New Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) Committee
SfNIRS takes seriously its responsibility in creating and sustaining an inclusive and diverse scientific community which enables all individuals to thrive. With this in mind, we are establishing an Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) Committee to implement initiatives to ensure lasting change. We need your input so if you’re interested in joining this committee please contact Clare Elwell.
By Clare Elwell.
The Society in the social networks
An executive summary of your social network posts during the confinement period.
Continue reading.
By you!
In Memoriam.
Dr. Takuo Aoyagi, the inventor of the pulse oximeter passed away in Tokyo on April 18, 2020 at the age of 84. Here is the story about the pulse oximeter and Dr. Aoyagi’s legacy.
By Rob Cooper.
Feature news
In our brand new YouTube channel, Dr. Gemma Bale video-interviews ICFO Medical Optics team about their recent project on COVID19.
By Gemma Bale.
Feature news
Let there be light is a short article by the SPIE Society about how the optics and photonics community is working to meet the challenges of COVID-19.
Link provided by Gemma Bale.
Special issues
- Special Issue “Studies in Human Performance and Experience: Neuroscience and Functional Brain Imaging”. Edited by Kurtulus Izzetoglu. Deadline September 30, 2020.
NIRS in the news
A Neuroscience Startup Uses Helmets to Measure Brain Activity. Bloomberg Businessweek. Shared by Katherine Perdue (via FB group).
Toddler lab aims to decode young minds. The Times. Shared by Clare Elwell (via Tw).
Calendar
COVID19 has overturned the planning and execution of many conferences worldwide; some have been cancelled, and some postponed to 2021. Nevertheless, we are continuing to keep you updated about forthcoming conferences and submission deadlines in our calendar. Keep an eye on it, as the calendar is updated continuously and independently of the newsletter.
By Sergio Novi and Stacey Ladieu.
Jobs postings
We have updated our list of job opportunities for this period. Despite the current circumstances surrounding the COVID pandemic, there are 7 new job postings for positions in industry and academia. Remember to announce your job advertisements on the SfNIRS Facebook group page or on Twitter using the hashtag #fNIRS or sending us an e-mail.
By those posting the job announcements.
fNIRS publications
Keep yourself up-to-date on the latest fNIRS publications. This period also includes a special issue in the journal Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417) on “Optical Methods for Tissue Diagnostics.” Remember to announce your publications on the SfNIRS Facebook group page or on Twitter using the hashtag #fNIRS.
By Felipe Orihuela-Espina.
Disclaimer: While we encourage translation of fNIRS technology to commercial products by our members, neither the Communication Committee nor the Society for fNIRS endorse any for-profit or non-profit entities. We do not receive compensation for reporting news about commercial products.
The Communication Committee © The Society for functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy