ESMAC 2024 Annual Meeting
:A Week of Learning, Collaboration, and Innovation in Oslo
#SeptemberEvents2024
Event: ESMAC 2024 Annual Meeting
Dates: September 9th – 14th, 2024
Destination: Oslo, Norway
Venue: Oslo Congress Centre (main conference) and Oslo Metropolitan University (pre-conference workshops)
This year’s ESMAC Annual Meeting in Oslo, Norway, was nothing short of amazing! From September 9th to 14th, we gathered experts and enthusiasts in movement analysis from all over the world for a week of exciting presentations, hands-on workshops, and great networking opportunities.
The event started on a high note with the Gait Course from September 9th to 11th at Oslo Metropolitan University. We had 100 participants diving deep into the latest techniques of gait analysis, and the feedback was fantastic, with an average rating of 4.5 out of 5! Huge thanks to Ursula Trinler, who did an incredible job organizing the course. Everyone left inspired and ready to put their new skills into practice.
Running alongside the Gait Course, we hosted four engaging pre-conference seminars on September 10th and 11th. Each had 45-50 attendees learning about everything from Python programming in movement science to the latest developments in neuromuscular orthotics. The energy was contagious, and it was clear everyone enjoyed themselves!
Midweek, we shifted gears with the Musculoskeletal Modeling Workshop, led by Hans Kainz and his team. This practical workshop was another huge hit, with participants getting hands-on experience in modeling techniques.
On Wednesday evening, we had a real treat: a special reception at Oslo’s famous Town Hall, where the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded each year. Hosted by the Oslo City Council, the event was a perfect blend of culture, history, and networking. We even got a guided tour of the building—talk about a memorable evening!
The main conference, held from September 12th to 14th at the Oslo Congress Centre, brought together around 400 participants. The opening ceremony kicked things off in style, with awards handed out for last year’s Best Poster and Best Paper, plus scholarships for Travel and Education for All.
One of the conference highlights was the highly anticipated Baumann Lecture, delivered by Andrew Roberts, who gave a powerful talk on how to make movement analysis more impactful in clinical practice. Attendees were buzzing with ideas afterward!
On Thursday afternoon, we also held our Annual General Meeting (AGM), where we announced some exciting future conference locations. In 2025, we’ll be in Basel, Switzerland, with Julie Stebbins giving the Baumann Lecture. After that, we’ll head to Hasselt, Belgium, in collaboration with Maastricht, Netherlands (2026), and then Vienna, Austria, in 2027! We also announced that Ayman Assi will wrap up his presidency in 2025, with Marjolein van der Krogt stepping in as the next President-Elect.
Gala Dinner with a View – and the Northern Lights!
Thursday night was one to remember. We gathered at the Grefsenkollen Restaurant, where we enjoyed a stunning dinner with panoramic views of Oslo. To top it all off, we were treated to a surprise appearance by the Northern Lights, making the night truly magical.
As the week came to a close, we gathered for the closing ceremony on the final day, where Linda Rennie, Chair of the Local Organizing Committee for Oslo, passed the plaque to Morgan Sangeux, who will be leading the way for ESMAC 2025 in Basel. It was the perfect way to wrap up an incredible week.
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and made ESMAC 2024 such a success! We can’t wait to see you next year in Basel!
More about ESDR 2024: https://www.esmac2024.org