Nominations requested for the President-elect and Board of Directors – Call 2021
The members of the SfNIRS elect a new President-elect and six new members of the Board of Directors. The Nomination Committee announces an official Call for Nominations for these open positions.
By Martin Wolf

Condolences
Our deepest condolences to our President Prof Clare Elwell on her terrible loss of her husband. A website has been set up by Clare and her family in tribute to Tim, and you can also share your thoughts and memories of him there. If you would like to join in donating to the charity Young Scientists for Africa in Tim’s memory, you can do so here.
By all of us (…but thanks Ilias Tachtsidis for the entry!) .

fNIRS 2022

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and travel ability uncertainty in Autumn 2021, we have decided to further postpone the fNIRS Boston meeting to a future time when we will be able to safely meet in person. In its place, in October 2021, the fNIRS Society is organizing a full virtual meeting. The exact format and the organizers are still to be determined. Read the full details of this difficult decision on the conference website.
By Maria Angela Franceschini, Ippeita Dan, and Charles Nelson

Keeping SfNIRS connected
The schedules of forthcoming research webinars and educational tutorials have been recently updated. And with links on the front page of our website access is just one click away! The videos of past events are available to members on our YouTube channel (link via our website -you must log in first). And what about this other compilation of videos?
By Judit Gervain, Rickson Mesquita and Felix Scholkmann

BIDS Specification to Include fNIRS
All members of the fNIRS community are invited to participate in an effort to formally extend the BIDS specification to include fNIRS data.
By Luca Pollonini and Robert Luke.

Brain Initiative workshop on dissemination of non-invasive imaging technologies
A Brain Initiative workshop on the dissemination of non-invasive imaging technologies was held as a virtual meeting on February 18-19, 2021.
Continue reading.
By Adam Eggebrecht

Summer School Hands-on fNIRS data analysis for fundamental, applied and clinical research
We are announcing the Summer School Hands-on fNIRS data analysis for fundamental, applied and clinical research. No fees! Accommodation expenses will be funded for 10 early career researchers!
By Felix Scholkmann.

Special issues

• Special Issue “Biomedical Sensing Applications of Diffuse Optics”. Sensors. Edited by Rebecca Re and Felipe Orihuela-Espina. Deadline extended 30 September 2021
• Special Issue “Near-Infrared Spectroscopy-Based Brain-Computer Interfaces”. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. Edited by Panagiotis Petrantonakis, Noman Naseer and Han-Jeong Hwang. Deadline extended 31 May 2021
• Special Issue “Studies in Human Performance and Experience: Neuroscience and Functional Brain Imaging”. Brain Sciences. Edited by Kurtulus Izzetoglu. Deadline 30 April 2021.

fNIRS continues to hit the news!
Will your study be the next starring this section?

• The first wearable HD-DOT measurements in infants demonstrated by the UCL team obtained widespread coverage in several journals and on the BBC (The Telegraph, medicalxpress, theEngineer, neuroscience News, YouTube, BBC).
• fNIRS was used while driving in a simulated environment to test the effects of mobile phone distractions on the brain.

By Sabrina Brigadoi.

Calendar
We are launching a new calendar. Powered by Google calendars it affords a more natural interface and its maintenance is shared among several members so the information is more quickly updated. This new feature is in addition to our traditional list of important conferences and schools.
By the Communications Committee.

From the Communications Committee
Would you like to join the communications committee? Bring your fresh exciting ideas? Get yourself involved in the communication of fNIRS related news? Please contact us.
By Heather Bortfeld and Felipe Orihuela.

Jobs postings
We have updated our list of job opportunities for this period. 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. We have seen an increase in the use of this latter (mail) option, which has facilitated the prompt publication of your information on the society website. Thank you! Keep sending us your job offers for posting!!

fNIRS publications
Felix’s summary and the PubMed section are back! Keep yourself up-to-date on the latest fNIRS publications. Remember to announce your publications on the SfNIRS Facebook group page or Twitter using the hashtag #fNIRS.
By Felix Scholkmann and Felipe Orihuela-Espina.