Welcome to ICBEN, the international commission on biological effects of noise

The goal of ICBEN is to promote a high level of scientific research concerning all the aspects noise-induced effects on human beings and on animals including preventive regulatory measures and to keep alive a vivid communication among the scientists working in that field. ICBEN is a non-profit organization that has no legal identity of its own and entirely depends on its members and its officers that voluntarily work for the organization. The means to achieve its ambitious goals are mainly based on the unique structure of ICBEN. The founders of ICBEN were wise enough not to concentrate the responsibility on the Chairperson of ICBEN but to delegate it primarily to the International Noise Teams (INT), in particular to the very experts who are appointed at the beginning of each 3-years term (and at the utmost for a second term).
The main activity of ICBEN evolves within its congresses that are organized every 3 years and regularly attract between 200 and 300 researchers and policy makers from across the globe. The polite yet sometimes spirited discussions at the congresses also serve ICBEN well. Proceedings of past congresses are available on the proceedings page. The next congress will take place 2014 in the city of Nara, Japan (Link).

 

ICBEN's structure

Officers
Chair Co-Chair
Secretary Past Chair

The officers appoint Chair-/Co-Chair of the International Noise Teams with the approval of the Executive Committee

existing Executive Committee elects new Officers by majority vote at the end of each five years term

Executive Committee
Officers Chair/Co-Chair of each INT
All former Past Chairpersons of ICBEN Six other persons appointed by the Chairpersons of ICBEN
International Noise Teams (INTs)
(Each INT consists of experts in addition to the Chair and Co-Chairpersons.)
Team 1: Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Team 2: Noise and Communication Team 3: Non-auditory effects of noise
Team 4: Influence of Noise on Performance and Behavior Team 5: Effects of Noise on Sleep Team 6: Community Responses to Noise
Team 7: Noise and Animals Team 8: Interactions with Other Agents and Contextual Factors Team 9: Policy and Economics