Steve Faulkner & Nicola Gerrett
University of Northampton, UK

https://doi.org/10.36866/pn.91.16a

11–15 February 2013, Queenstown, New Zealand

The 15th International Conference on Environmental Ergonomics (ICEE) was organized by Jim Cotter, Sam Lucas (both School of Physical Education, University of Otago) and Toby Mündel (Massey University) and was the first to take part in the Southern hemisphere. ICEE dates back to 1984, when the conference was first held in Bristol, and has become a bi-annual event. The conference was established to cover all aspects relating to the interaction of human beings with their surrounding environment, but has in more recent years began to cover topics more related to human physiology and performance. Despite this, it is a conference that is often not on the radar of many physiologists who have expertise in these areas of research.

The conference began with a welcome drinks function on the Sunday evening. This gave all of the delegates the chance to meet up and mingle with acquaintances old and new, and allowed those of us early in our research careers to meet some of the names that we have become so familiar during the course of our work to date.

The conference covered a wide range of research topics, from the issues of climate change and how this may impact on human physiology and function in the future, to the brain in stressful environments. This session also included the student prize-winning talk: “Regional brain blood flow during passive hyperthermia” by Anthony Bain of The University of British Columbia. The student poster prize was awarded to Yuta Hoshi from Tskuba University: “Effects of voluntary control of breathing on cerebral blood flow and ventilator mechanisms during passive heating”.

One of the highlights of the week was the presentation by Ralph Goldman, who drew on his years of experience in detailing exactly how to design and implement a research project based on his three rules, which we could all learn from:

• Don’t ask others to participate if you would not participate yourself
• Co-investigators to be subjects too in pilot studies
• Don’t run the study if you wouldn’t let your children take part!

Needless to say, it was a talk that all present will not forget, due to his eloquent delivery and infectious humour.

The 15th ICEE conference was hailed as a huge success by all in attendance, not just for the stunning scenery that Queenstown and New Zealand has to offer, but because of the high quality of the scientific content of the programme. For students and new researchers, ICEE provides a platform for learning and meeting other established, world-renowned researchers and new academics. This is unlike many of the larger conferences, where it is almost impossible to get such a level of personal contact. The next ICEE conference will be held in Portsmouth,UK in 2015, and if you have an interest in environmental physiology, we urge you to attend this excellent conference.

Without the kind support of both The University of Northampton, and The Physiological Society, Steve Faulkner would not have been unable to attend this conference. Nicola Gerrett is indebted to the University of Worcester for financial support for her attendance.