Conference Chair Expression of Interest

ISEK Conference 2026

In an effort to confirm 2026 plans, ISEK is inviting Expressions of Interest for interested individuals to serve as Congress Chair.

The International Society for Electrophysiology and Kinesiology (ISEK) hosts a biennial international conference that traditionally attracts 400 – 500 participants from around the globe. The conference provides a forum for clinicians and basic scientists to share advances and knowledge in the broad field of Electrophysiology and Kinesiology. Participants share their expertise and research in the fields of electromyography, functional electrical stimulation (FES), motor unit control, neuromuscular diseases, rehabilitation, muscle fatigue, kinesiology, motion analysis, ergonomics and other related areas.

Past conferences have included Chicago 2016 and Dublin 2018, chaired respectively by Eric Perreault (Northwestern University) and Madeleine Lowery (University College Dublin). The 2020 Congress was held in a virtual environment and chaired by Kohei Watanabe due to the COVID-19 pandemic followed by 2022 in Quebec City chaired by Jean-Sebastian Roy and Laurent Bouyer (both from the Université de Laval). The 2024 conference will be held in Nagoya, Japan and chaired by Kohei Watanabe (Chukyo University). The 2026 preferred conference destination is on the European continent.

The Conference is jointly managed by the Society, through the Council, its Secretariat and Professional Conference Organizer (PCO), Podium Conference Specialists and the Conference Chair. See the duties and responsibilities for each role below.

Roles and Responsibilities

The delivery of a successful conference relies on the smooth coordination and planning of many people and committees. The duties and responsibilities of these groups is as follows:

ISEK Council

The primary duties and responsibilities of the ISEK Council include:

To select and confirm the Conference Chair
To select and confirm the conference destination and conference dates in consultation and collaboration with the Conference chair
To approve conference budgets based on provided budget templates
To approve chairs for other conference committees as recommended by the Conference Chair
To maintain financial oversight and responsibility for the conference
To approve Keynote speaker candidates prior to invitations being extended
To approve an overall conference theme if recommended by the Conference Chair
To provide guidance on proposed conference program layouts
To delegate authority to the Secretariat and PCO to serve on their behalf in matters related to logistical coordination and financial management, in consultation with the treasurer, of the conference

ISEK Secretariat & PCO

The primary duties and responsibilities of the Secretariat and PCO include:

To vet the Conference Chair and Conference destination competitions and provide guidance to the council regarding the submissions and opportunities arising from the submissions
To undertake site selection visits to prospective destinations as necessary prior to final decisions
To communicate with the applicants the final decisions regarding Conference Chair and Conference destination selections
To negotiate final conference venue and accommodation contracts
To develop the conference budget for Council approval
To recommend conference registration fees to the Council for approval
To collect all conference revenues and pay all approved conference expenses
To secure necessary general liability policies for the conference
To coordinate and participate in regular planning meetings with the Conference Chair and local organising committee
To provide full support to the Conference Chair and Conference Committees in the delivery of their duties
To manage conference hotel room block contracts
To manage and update the Conference webpages residing on the ISEK website
To provide, configure and manage online conference registration, oral/poster/award abstract submission and exhibit/vendor booking systems
To facilitate the review of all oral and poster submissions by the SPC
To coordinate all vendor and sponsor requirements
To schedule and coordinate special meetings (i.e. Council, General Assembly, Awards) that occur during the conference
To develop a Sponsor/Donor/Vendor plan for local and worldwide financial support
To prepare and print, or make available in an online/electronic format all conference materials including program booklet, digital abstracts, signs, and banners
To coordinate speaker logistics (collection of bios, travel & accommodation) for confirmed Keynote speakers
To coordinate all logistical components of the conference including, but not necessarily limited to:
- Securing and overseeing conference suppliers (audio-visual, food services, posters, printers)
- Vendor move-in and move-out
- Conference excursions and special off-site activities
- Daily conference instructions
- On-site registration and information
- Selection of food and beverage items
- Spouse/Guest program elements
To be the primary contact for delegates, abstract submitters, exhibitors, and sponsors for all general inquiries

Conference Chair

The primary duties and responsibilities of the Conference Chair include:

To maintain their ISEK membership in good standing throughout their tenure as Conference Chair
To attend the conference in the years leading up to the 2026 conference.
To assist in developing the conference budget and to work with the PCO and ISEK Council to deliver the conference on or under budget
To establish and chair a Scientific Program Committee (SPC) with input from the Council. Committee terms of reference will be provided.
To establish and recommend chairs for additional necessary committees as approved by the Council (i.e. Awards, Vendors/Sponsors). Committee terms of references will be provided. Committee members must maintain their ISEK membership in good standing throughout their tenure with the conference
To recommend to Council proposed conference themes, if it is decided to incorporate an overall theme to the conference
To participate in regularly scheduled Council meetings to provide conference update reports
To develop the Conference program including the identification and invitation of Keynote speakers and the evaluation of submissions for all other oral and poster presentations
To identify, encourage and qualify the submission of proposals for pre-conference workshops and vendor presentations
To maximize award monies through the identification and pursuit of award donors
To evaluate award competition submissions based on prescribed rating criteria and to decide on successful candidates
To pursue and secure financial support from local/regional entities including Universities and their appropriate departments, Research Institutes, Corporate sponsors, and potential vendors
To provide input on potential venues and activities for social activities that may be organized as part of the conference

Procedures

1. Members in good standing are invited to put their names forward to serve as Congress Chair. Additionally, ISEK Council members may invite specific members to submit EOI’s for this role.

2. All Congress Chair candidates must complete and submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) as per one of the following guidelines prior to December 8, 2022.

3. ISEK has moved to a Congress Chair model that no longer requires the conference chair to be located in the same location as the conference. The board wishes to ensure the best Chair and the best location are selected and will make their final decision based on a number of factors. Congress Chair candidates are therefore invited to complete their EOI’s in one of following formats:

EOI Congress Chair – In this format, the candidate is asking to be considered as conference chair, regardless of Congress destination. DOWNLOAD EOI FORM

EOI Congress Chair, Same Destination – In this format, the candidate is asking to be considered as conference chair and is also proposing their home destination as the conference destination. DOWNLOAD EOI FORM

EOI Congress Chair, Different Destination – In this format, the candidate is asking to be considered as conference chair and is also proposing a conference destination that is different from their home destination. DOWNLOAD EOI FORM

For the 2026 Congress the Board’s preferred conference destination is Europe.

4. Following the submission deadline, the PCO will contact each candidate to clarify aspects of their proposal and if a destination has been included as part of the EOI, they will vet the respective destination for suitability.

5. The PCO will then forward the EOI’s to the ISEK Council for discussion. Depending on the destination options provided with the EOI’s, the PCO may also suggest suitable destinations for the conference as part of this submission.

6. Based on the Council deliberations, shortlisted candidates may be invited to provide additional information prior to a final decision. Additionally, the PCO may be asked to undertake site inspections of prospective conference venues in proposed conference destinations prior to finalizing a destination decision.

7. The final decision of Council for both the 2026 Congress Chair and the Congress destination is expected by mid 2023. At this time the successful candidate will be notified, and appropriate agreements will be put in place. Unsuccessful candidates may be considered for future conferences.

For enquiries and submissions, please contact:

ISEK Secretariat and PCO
c/o Podium Conference Specialists
Victoria, BC Canada