HAS-Motion is happy to renew our support for the International Women in Biomechanics (IWB) for 2026!
About the International Women in Biomechanics
The IWB began in July 2020, thanks to two dedicated postdoctoral fellows, Dr. Ana Ebrahimi and Dr. Jayishni Maharaj. Since then, over 700 biomechanists from more than 300 universities and organizations across 33 countries have joined the IWB. The result has been a vibrant, global community within biomechanics.
The IWB’s mission is inspiring:
to create a supportive environment where women and underrepresented genders in biomechanics can gain visibility, find mentorship, and build allyship.
The IWB is built around three core pillars: Member Support, Community Outreach, and Empowering Allyship. These pillars guide the IWB’s mission to support women both personally and professionally.
Community Through Connection
One of IWB’s key efforts is hosting conference social events that build community and strengthen professional networks. These events have become highlights at major biomechanics meetings around the world and in 2025 included:
- the ISB 2025 Congress in Stockholm, Sweden;
- the ASB 2025 Conference in Pittsburgh, USA; and
- the ESB 2025 Congress in Zürich, Switzerland.
Two of HAS-Motion’s biomechanical engineers, Sydney Garrah and Amy Coyle, first connected with IWB through these conference events. Their experience as participants – and later as volunteers with IWB’s Conference Planning Team – offered firsthand insight into the positive impact these gatherings have on the biomechanics community. Sydney stepped into the role of Conference Planning Team Lead, in 2025, helping organize events that bring together researchers, students, and industry professionals worldwide. If you’re an IWB member or ally, we encourage you to explore upcoming events at your next conference.
Amplifying Representation Through the Women in Biomechanics WikiBomb
Another inspirational IWB project is the collaboration with ISB on the Women in Biomechanics Wikibomb. This project aims to increase the visibility of women in the field through new and updated Wikipedia profiles. The first call for the initiative resulted in 13 new pages celebrating biomechanists around the world. One of these was for Canadian sports biomechanist Doris Miller and was contributed by a HAS-Motion employee. Efforts like these highlight how community-driven projects can make a lasting impact on representation in science.
Looking Ahead
Continuing our support of the IWB, we hope to contribute to an inclusive and powerful environment within the biomechanics community. We look forward to seeing the positive impact the IWB will continue to have on this field in 2026 and beyond.