Create the future of meeting: First-ever online conference of Japan Society for Medical and Biological Engineering

Japan Society for Medical and Biological Engineering, which has a history of 58 years and 2,700 members, held its first-ever online conference in May 2020. Ken Takahashi, as a member of the executive committee, helped bring this JSMBE annual meeting online by establishing operation procedures and carrying out public relations activities via Twitter and Facebook.

The 59^th Annual Conference of Japanese Society for Medical and Biological Engineering (JSMBE) was originally planned as an on-site meeting as “usual”. However, the widespread coronavirus epidemic is now changing the definition of being “usual”. At academic conferences pre-coronavirus, people from different locations, sometimes gathered across borders to discuss research and the future it could bring. Indeed, face-to-face exchange is no doubt a wonderful thing. On the other hand, online meetings, which do not require physical travel, greatly facilitate attendance at meetings. Another advantage of online meetings is that participants can hold flat discussions at academic conferences, which are sometimes seniority-based, in Japan.

The coronavirus epidemic put us in a situation where we have no choice but to change our lifestyle. However, it is also a great opportunity to change things that could not be changed until now.

It is boring to simply set protocols, promote an event, and conduct an annual meeting online. What’s fun is to create the future of meetings and design our life.

Ken Takahashi

Related: Fighting COVID-19 epidemic with Zoom video conference

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Takahashi Lab at Okayama University uses principles of physiology, cellular and molecular biology, and biophysics. The purpose of the lab is to develop science and medicine by unveiling the mechanisms of diseases through collaborations with scientists, epidemiologists, and corporate alliances. The alliance includes Harvard University, Boston University, Tokyo University of Science, and PD Aerospace, Ltd.