CHAPTER I

 

NAME, MISSION, OFFICE AND ACTIVITIES

 

Article 1.  Name

The name of the association shall be International Society for Electrical Bio-Impedance (ISEBI).

 

Article 2. Registered Office

The association is constituted according to the Spanish legislation, Organic Law 1/2002 of March 22nd to act as a non-profit organization. The registered office will be established at the Technical University of Catalonia, c/Jordi Girona, 1-3, 08034 Barcelona, Spain.

 

Article 3. Duration

The association is established for an unlimited period of time

 

Article 4. Mission

The mission of the International Society for Electrical Bio-Impedance (ISEBI) is to promote scientific research on the electrical properties of biomaterials as well as the development, use and understanding of impedance methods in medicine, biology and biotechnology.

 

ISEBI continues the tradition and work of the International Committee for the Promotion of Research in Bio-Impedance (ICPRBI) and the International Conferences on Electrical Bio-Impedance (ICEBI). The first ICEBI was held in New York City (USA) in 1969 and the ICPRBI was informally established after the 5th. ICEBI in Tokyo, in 1981.

 

ISEBI takes this heritage and advances on the formalization of a Society with the specific  goal of integrating all researchers in the field of Bio-Impedance worldwide.

 

Article 5. Activities

In order to carry out its mission the ISEBI will organize activities involving its members. Those activities are basically, but not limited to:

 

• To organize, at appropriate intervals, the International Conferences on Electrical Bio-Impedance (ICEBI) and other topic-specific or regional-specific conferences, workshops, seminars, courses, etc.

• To support and encourage the organization of local, national and regional meetings on bio-impedance topics in collaboration with other national and international organizations.

• To encourage and assist in the organization of international collaborative projects and in the exchange of research workers and students.

• To support and encourage the establishment of international standards regarding the usability and safety of medically-oriented devices based on bio-impedance measurements.

• To recognize the excellence in research or other activities related to Bio-Impedance by means of the Herman Schwan Award , Honorary Membership, or other means.

• To maintain a web site as a basis for information exchange among members and dissemination to society.

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CHAPTER II

 

MEMBERSHIP

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Article 6. Members

Members of ISEBI can be individuals working in the field of bio-impedance, which are called individual members, and organizations, companies, scientific societies, etc. having interests on bio-impedance research or production, which are called corporate members.

 

Article 7. Individual Members

Individual members in the ISEBI will have the following grades:

 

• Members: individuals who are or have been active in research, teaching or other activities related to bio-impedance. The grade of member is achieved by application of the individual, who must demonstrate the qualifications required. Members are accepted by the Executive Committee.

• Student Members: individuals who carry at least 50% of a graduate or undergraduate academic program and are active in research in any bio-impedance fields. Membership application must be supported by a Member or Fellow Member.

• Fellow Members: The grade of Fellow recognizes unusual distinction in the profession and shall be conferred only by invitation of the ICPRBI[1] upon a member with an extraordinary record of accomplishments in any bio-impedance field or activity.

• Honorary Members: Honorary Member are appointed by the ICPRBI from among those individuals, not members of ISEBI, who have rendered meritorious service to humanity in bio-impedance related, or other designated, fields.

 

Article 8. Corporate Members

Corporate members will have the following grades

 

• Supporters. Companies, associations, etc. involved in the research, production, etc. on bio-impedance which contribute to the support of the Society.

• Associates. Non-profit organizations (scientific societies, NGO’s, etc.) interested in the results of research in bio-impedance

 

Article 9. Privileges of Members

All members have the same rights and obligations. In particular members commit themselves to:

 

• improve the understanding of nature and technology, its appropriate application, and potential consequences

• assist colleagues and co-workers in their professional development

• seek, accept, and offer honest criticism of technical work, to acknowledge and correct errors, and to credit properly the contributions of others

• be honest and realistic in stating claims or estimates based on available data

• avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest whenever possible, and to disclose them to affected parties when they do exist

• avoid injuring others, their property, reputation, or employment by false or malicious action

 

Article 10. Right of Vote

Individuals holding the grade of Member or Fellow Member can vote and be elected to the Executive Committee or designated to become part of the ICPRBI.

 

 

Article 11. Fees

Fees may be charged to Members, Fellow Members and Student Members to support the organizational structure of ISEBI as well as to support specific activities. In addition, regional or topic-related units within ISEBI may charge additional fees to its members.

 

Fees will be proposed by the Executive Committee. Reduced fees will be charged to Student Members. No fees will be charged to Honorary Members.

 

Article 12. Termination of Membership

Membership ends by the death of the member, dissolution of the Society, or by announcement of withdrawal from the Society. This announcement must be sent at least 6 weeks before the ending of the year.

 

Membership will be terminated if the fees are not paid for one year after due date and after one reminder during this period.

 

Membership can also be terminated after a violation of the Statutes, or a severe offence against the prestige of the Society.

 

In the latter two cases, the termination process will be initiated by the Executive Committee and the member will be heard.

 

Article 13. Assets

The assets of the Society constitute the members’ fees, the grants from public or private institutions, the revenues of materials owned by the Society and the surpluses of ICEBI’s or other activities organized by the Society.

 

The amount of foundational budget, in money and properties is estimated to be 4000 € in money and 4000 € in properties.

 

Article 14. Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of the Society shall correspond to the calendar year.

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CHAPTER III

 

MANAGEMENT OF THE SOCIETY

 

Article 15. The General Assembly

The General Assembly is formed by all the members. Only individuals with the grade of Member and Fellow Member have the right  to vote.

 

Ordinary meetings of  the General Assembly will be held during ICEBI’s. However, votes of the members can be requested by email or post between meetings of the General Assembly.

 

The General Assembly have the following attributions

1. Electing members of the Executive Committee

2. Approving annual economic balance and budget

3. Approving annual report of activities and activity plan

4. Dissolution of the Society or fusion with another society

5. Changes in the Statutes

 

Decisions in points 1 to 3 are usually taken by majority of votes (either in person or received by mail or electronic means).

 

Decisions on points 4 and 5 will require a qualified majority.

 

Article 16. Constitution of the General Assembly

Ordinary or extraordinary meetings of the General Assembly will be called by the President, at least 30 days in advance. The place, date, time and agenda of the meeting will be notified in the call.

 

The General Assembly will be constituted if at least 50% of the members with right to vote are present in first instance, or with any number of members present in second instance, one hour after that notified in the call.

 

 

Article 17. The Executive Committee

The Executive Committee is the permanent representation of the General Assembly. It deals with the organizational topics of the Society. The Executive Committee will present an annual report to the General Assembly on the Activities of the Society.

 

The executive Committee is composed by:

• The President of the Society

• The Vice-President of the Society

• The Secretary/Treasurer of the Society

• Up to two representatives of regional or topical units

 

The normal term of service for the members of the Executive Committee is 3 years, and shall not extend more than 6 consecutive years.

 

Elections of the members of the Executive Committee will be organized in a such a way that not all the members are changed at the same time.

 

Elections to the Executive Committee will be normally held during the celebration of the general assemblies. Officers will take charge the 1st of January following the election.

 

An Elections Committee will nominate at least 2 persons for each of the President, Vice-president and Secretary/Treasurer offices.

 

Article 18. The President

The President of the Society is elected among the members with the grade of Member or Fellow Member by the General Assembly.

 

It represents the Society before the administrations and other scientific or non-scientific societies.

 

Article 19. The Vice-President

The Vice-president of the Society is elected among the members with the grade of Member or Fellow Member by the General Assembly.

 

The Vice-President shall assume presidential duties upon temporal incapacity of the President.

 

Article 20. The Secretary/Treasurer

The Secretary/Treasurer of the Society is elected among the members with the grade of Member or Fellow Member by the General Assembly.

 

The Secretary/Treasurer will prepare the annual report about membership, activities, etc. to the Executive Committee, will keep record of the minutes of the General Assemblies and meetings of the Executive Committee and present an annual economic budget and balance to the Executive Committee.

 

 

Article 21. The International Committee for the Promotion of Research in Bio-Impedance (ICPRBI)

The mission of ICPRBI is to promote research, development, use and understanding of electrical impedance measurements as a means of assessing normal and abnormal physiological states in medicine and biology.  The ICPRBI is composed of active and well recognised researchers in the field of bio-impedance, and shall have a wide international representation. Committee members are designated according to the internal Rules of ICPRBI.

 

The ICPRBI shall assist the President of ISEBI, which will be the President of ICPRBI, and the Executive Committee in scientific or organizational matters, and specifically on:

• Proposing members to the grade of Fellow Member (Article 7)

• Proposing recipients of the Herman Schwan Award (Article 5)

• Appointing Honorary Members (Article 7)

• Proposing the creation of units within ISEBI (Article 22)

• Evaluating the proposals for venues of the forthcoming ICEBI’s

 

CHAPTER IV

 

INTERNAL ORGANIZATION

 

Article 22. Regional or Topical Units

Groups of members can be established in order to promote the objectives and interests of ISEBI. Those groups a called “units” for the sake of generality.

 

Units can be established because of geographical or topical associations. The creation of a unit shall be decided by the Executive Committee upon a recommendation form the ICPRBI, and proposed to the General Assembly for adoption.

 

Units may or may not have any formal bylaws. They can organize activities within their field of competence, either by themselves or in collaboration with other institutions. They can participate of the budget of the Society and/or have separate budgets and may charge additional fees to its members.

 

The units having some kind of organizational bylaws can have a representative in the Executive Committee of the ISEBI.

 

Article 23. Divisions

Groups of members established with objective of sharing technical information of any kind (application, design, standardization, etc.) are called Divisions.

 

Article 24. Clubs

Groups of members established because of geographical proximity or because of sharing common political or economical problems are called Clubs.

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CHAPTER V

 

DISSOLUTION

 

Article 25. Dissolution of the Association

The Society may be dissolved by a properly constituted General Assembly, called specifically for that purpose. A qualified majority of 2/3 of the votes of the members present shall be required to pass the resolution of dissolution.

 

Article 26. Distribution of Assets

Upon dissolution, the assets of the Society will be distributed among scientific societies pursuing objectives similar to those of the Society. A special Committee will be designated by the General Assembly to carry out this task.

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TRANSITORY DISPOSITION

 

Article 27. Transitory Disposition

The first election to the Executive Committee will be held no later than 6 months after the constitution of the Society.

Executive Committee members elected in the first occasion will take responsibility until the next General Assembly or for two consecutive periods.

 

[1] ICPRBI: International Committee for the Promotion of Research in Bio-Impedance