12 September 2024

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

I would like to thank all of you for your active participation in the 23rd EAA conference. Over the years, this conference has become an essential platform for the exchange of ideas, research and collaboration across disciplines such as biological anthropology, bioarchaeology, biomedicine and others. It was a real pleasure to meet everyone and I deeply appreciate the dedication and hard work that made this event a valuable experience for all. Special thanks go to Professors Sasa Missoni and Jelena Sarac, who were the cornerstones of the organising committee. I would also like to congratulate the winners of the EAA awards. Rita Sorrentino, from the Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences at the University of Bologna, Italy, received the Best Oral Presentation award for her talk Virtual anthropology as a cultural and research resource: the digitalisation and ethical management of the documented human osteological collections (DHOCS) of the University of Bologna. Magdalena Żegleń, from the Pain Research Group at the Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland, was awarded the Best Poster Presentation prize for her poster, Can nothing motivate you? The effects of placebo intervention on fitness-related parameters of adolescents with varying body mass and composition status – the role of motivation in physical activity. Congratulations to both of them. I wish them continued success in their academic careers and look forward to their future contributions to the EAA. I am also pleased to announce that Professor Noël Cameron has been awarded Honorary Membership of the EAA in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field and to our association. It is a privilege to welcome him as one of our distinguished honorary members. Looking ahead, I would like to mention two important upcoming activities: the webinars scheduled for October and November, and the EAA elections for the term 2024-2026. Please, note that webinars are open to all with a simple registration required. PhD students who wish to receive a confirmation of attendance should contact me directly at makac@amu.edu.pl to register in advance. I wanted to give early notice to ensure smooth participation. Elections will begin in mid-October and we will be sending out further details soon. Please start thinking about how you can actively contribute to this important event. Looking further ahead, I am pleased to announce that the 24th EAA conference will be held in Budapest at the Eötvös Loránd University at the end of August 2026. This meeting will be particularly special as it coincides with the 50th anniversary of the founding of the EAA in Zagreb in 1976. We are proud to continue the important work initiated by one of the founding members, the esteemed Professor Pavao Rudan, an Honorary Member of the EAA. The baton has now been passed to Professor Annamária Zsákai, Chair of the Organizing Committee, as we look ahead to the next meeting in Budapest. Special preparations are already underway to commemorate this important milestone in our Association's history.

Thank you for your continued commitment to the EAA. I look forward to our future collaboration and activities.

Yours sincerely,

Maria Kaczmarek

EAA President

Dear Colleagues, 28 May 2024

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for your active participation in our recent General Assembly on 23 May. I would particularly like to thank Professors Jesper Boldsen and Nick Mascie-Taylor for their work on the amendments to our Statutes, and the members of the Board for their constructive discussions. Finally, I would like to thank you for your comments and suggestions, which have been incorporated into the final version of the Statutes, and for your presence at the General Assembly. Your support was crucial to the successful adoption of all the changes to our Statutes. As we look forward to the events ahead, I am delighted to invite you once again to our conference in Zagreb (5-8 September https://web.empl.io/EAA2024). This event promises to be an important gathering of new ideas and an opportunity for professional networking. Although we do not plan to hold a General Assembly in Zagreb, we will hold a short meeting to take a family photo of all current and future EAA members attending the conference. This will be included in the conference programme, so please keep an eye out for this event and be sure to join us for the photo. Following the conference, we will continue to run webinars throughout the new academic year 2024-2025. The programme can be found on our website under the Webinars tab. I encourage you to actively participate. A special note to our Masters and PhD students: if you wish, you can receive confirmation of your participation in these events. I believe it can be beneficial to your academic record. By the way, the EAA webinars are open to anyone interested in the subject, but not to suspended colleagues. Let me also remind you of the upcoming elections for our new Board and Audit Committee members. Here are the key milestones in the election timetable: Mid-October: A 14-day period for online nomination of candidates for the Board and Audit Committee, in accordance with Statute 5 of our Statutes & Ordinances, Mid-November: A 14 day period for online voting. Please note the new provision in our Statutes allowing proxy voting. Detailed voting instructions will be sent to you in early October to ensure a smooth and transparent process. Your participation in these elections is vital to the continued success and governance of our Association. I encourage each and every one of you to take an active role in nominating and voting for the candidates who will take us forward. Finally, I want to assure you that we are always open to suggestions and comments to improve our governance and our relationship with you. Remember, the Board exists to serve the membership, not the other way around.

Thank you again for your commitment and support.

I look forward to seeing many of you in Zagreb and to your continued participation in our webinars, other activities and the upcoming elections.

Yours sincerely,

Maria Kaczmarek

EAA President

In memoriam

Helje Kaarma

April 15, 1933 - February 2, 2022

On Candlemas Day 2022, gynecologist Helje Kaarma, founder and head of the Physical Anthropology Center of the University of Tartu, left us. Helje Kaarma was born in Tallinn. In 1951, she graduated from the Tallinn 7th Middle School and at the same time from the Tallinn Music School, where she acquired the profession of a piano teacher. After graduating cum laude from the Faculty of Medicine of Tartu State University, she worked as an obstetrician-gynecologist from 1958 and later as an anesthesiologist in the Tartu Clinical Maternity Hospital. In 1967, he defended her Ph.D. Since 1970, Helje Kaarma has worked at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Tartu State University as an assistant, junior researcher and associate professor, and from 1991 to 1998 as an extraordinary professor. In 1987 at the Minsk Medical Institute, she defended her doctoral thesis, in which she studied the multidimensional system of anthropometric characteristics of pregnant and non-pregnant women. Working on her doctoral thesis based on anthropometry, she got to know professor Juhan Aul’s work more closely. This influenced her research interests to turn to the field of anthropology. In 1993, on her initiative, the Centre for Physical Anthropology was created at the Institute of Anatomy of the University of Tartu, which she led with her passion. In the center’s research, she tried to create an anthropometric classification that would allow for the systematization of all individual measurements of the human body. The original physique typing method developed by her is internationally recognized as an innovative Estonian classification. Helje Kaarma was also an enthusiastic organizer of international anthropology conferences and the annual Juhan Aul days organized in Estonia. Four doctoral theses, one master's thesis and eight master’s theses were defended under her supervision. Helje Kaarma, with her firm conviction and perseverance, directed all her colleagues to actively publish scientific works. To facilitate this, the 1998-2002 yearbook of the Estonian Anthropometric Register initiated by her and the English-language journal Papers on Anthropology have been published since 1992. Helje Kaarma’s work has been recognized with the small medal of the University of Tartu (1998), the August Rauber medal (2009) and the medal of the University of Tartu (2013). As a respected gynecologist, lecturer, physiotherapist, head of the Centre for Physical Anthropology and an energetic organizer, Helje Kaarma has left an unforgettable mark and an indelible impression on everyone she has come into contact with.

University of Tartu Women’s Clinic

Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biological and Transitional Medicine, University of Tartu

Anthropological Section of the Estonian Society of Naturalists

Department of Medical Sciences, University of Tartu

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Poznań, June 29, 2023

Poznań, June 29,2023

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

It is with great pleasure and sincere excitement that I extend my invitation to you to participate in the upcoming multidisciplinary conference on "Anthropology in the Anthropocene: Investigating Human Influences on the Global Ecosystem." This conference, organized by the EAA in collaboration with the International Society for the Study of Human Growth and Clinical Auxology (ISGA), will be held in the beautiful city of Zagreb, Croatia from September 5 to 8, 2024.

I believe that your presence and participation will greatly contribute to the success of this conference. We aim to bring together professionals and researchers from diverse fields, including biological anthropology, medicine, healthcare, and related disciplines. By fostering multidisciplinary collaboration, we can gain a deeper understanding of the complex challenges and opportunities posed by human influences on our planet in the Anthropocene era.

Under the overarching theme of "Anthropology in the Anthropocene," we will explore a wide range of innovative research themes and approaches to better understand human beings as an integral part of the global ecosystem. Additionally, we will delve into sessions focused on key domains of biological anthropology. I invite you to share your research with fellow participants.  Your valuable insights into human biology, evolution, adaptation, and population dynamics will greatly contribute to our collective understanding and foster meaningful discussions.

The conference will be held in a hybrid manner, allowing participants to attend both on-site and online. This format ensures flexibility and accessibility for all attendees, regardless of their location or travel limitations. Whether you choose to join us physically in Zagreb or participate virtually, your presence and contribution will be highly valued. Furthermore, I am pleased to inform you that the EAA has prepared financial support for students who are members of the EAA and will be giving a presentation on-site. This financial support will cover the registration fee, and detailed rules and guidelines can be found on our website.

I kindly request your assistance in sharing this invitation with individuals in your network who may be interested in participating or presenting at this conference. Together, we can create a vibrant and diverse community of researchers and practitioners dedicated to understanding and addressing the challenges of the Anthropocene.

For detailed information regarding the conference, including registration details, submission guidelines, and important dates, please visit our websites: the European Anthropological Association (EAA) website and the conference website. If you have any questions or require further assistance, please feel free to contact our dedicated team. We are here to ensure a smooth and enriching experience for all participants.

Thank you for your attention, and I eagerly look forward to welcoming you and your colleagues to this multidisciplinary conference. Let us collectively explore, discover, and contribute to our understanding of human influences on the global ecosystem, while also sharing our valuable research within the key domains of study in biological anthropology.

With kind regards,

Maria Kaczmarek

EAA President