The ISB was founded on 30th August 1973. When I realized this, on my way back from Stockholm this year, I immediately thought that in two years time we shall celebrate this great 50 years event with the necessary emotion and intensity! In this period to come I would love to arrange a number of initiatives: to acknowledge the capacity and the courage of the founders, to showcase what Biomechanics has given to knowledge, health-care, technology, education, and human performance, and to demonstrate to the world what ISB has accomplished so far. I know these results were not the product of a few isolated top experts, but of the combined contributions over decades from thousands of scientists from all over the world. Nevertheless, we shall be grateful to those that dedicated large parts of their life to a passionate and vigorous work for this discipline and for its education. And particularly because they achieved that with pioneering instruments, tools and devices that would appear just ridiculous in our modern laboratories. In chats discussing past and present attainments, I always loved thus the metaphor of ‘standing on the shoulders of giants’, recalled many times; it expresses the fact that if we can see further every day it is because we can build upon what pioneers and distinguished scientists have developed before (frequently with efforts largely bigger than ours!). This should be always recognized, and bared in mind also for the responsibility we now have toward the present and future generations.
A first natural responsibility within ISB is on my shoulders for the next two years, despite I am not a giant. The future is still uncertain, insecure. Global challenges are ahead, including Covid-19 but also climate change, ethical and social progresses, injustice and discrimination. All of us are somehow involved, and our voice in these huge debates may seem too small, or not adequate. I believe we shall first of all continue to develop our discipline, so important and attractive. So many are the learning opportunities to provide to younger people, for sharing ideas, discussing techniques, and eventually developing something of value for the entire society. ISB has been doing this already for 50 years, the first global biomechanics society, being still the largest of the biomechanical communities, spread in all continents and tens of countries. For my term, I am committed to support further regional initiatives, education, media and communication, and all those initial experiences worldwide in particular need of help. The ISB Council is committed and strongly motivated as well. Please search and follow carefully the meetings of our Technical Groups and Affiliated Societies, well distributed over time and over the globe. Really "ISB has 50 years but ... it doesn't look it!"
Today we also want to look forward. We are going to arrange a first part of these initiatives and celebrations this coming year, in particular at the World Congress of Biomechanics in July. Our friends in Taipei have offered a hybrid meeting format, i.e. in-person or on-line, with your final attendance format to be decided next year. You can now find many different attractive Sessions, including those organized under the umbrella of ISB. Among these a few will highlight and discuss the progress of biomechanics from early seventies to now, for the benefit of health-care, industry, human performance etc. If you have original ideas for this memory (and also for future initiatives) do not hesitate to write to me.
At the end, by combining this all, let’s enjoy this quote: "What you have inherited from your fathers, work on, that you may possess it." From FAUST, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
Have a nice Christmas time, and a Happy New Year!
Alberto Leardini
ISB President
