Dear ISCA members,

2024 is almost at an end. Within ISCA, this year, we started several new initiatives that we hope to finalise and show to you in the coming months. These include the logo competition (we saw some good designs!) to celebrate 25 years of Interspeech, a new format for our newsletter to go with our new website, a new medal scheme, and a life-time membership. For now, we wish you a relaxing end of the year 2024 and a great start of the year 2025! I hope you have many wonderful memories of 2024, and look back with happiness on the great things you have accomplished.

Membership fees

With the increasing number of members over the years, ISCA needed to professionalise. We have made great steps with

• our new website,

• databases,

• moving to WildApricot,

• the hiring of Antoine Serrurier to help the Interspeech organisers

to name a few things. To ensure the sustainability of our services and a long-term, financially healthy future of ISCA, and after getting positive feedback from both the IAC and during the General Assembly in Kos, the ISCA board has decided to increase the membership fees, for the first time in around 20 years. This increase also takes into account the wider financial context, e.g., inflation.

The new membership fees are:

• Full members: 120 euros/year

• Student/retired members: 30 euros/year

The changes will be implemented on our website in December 2024 and will be effective from January 1, 2025.

Want to stay updated regarding Interspeech 2025 Rotterdam news?

In the next few months, everything you need to know about Interspeech 2025, Rotterdam, travelling to the Netherlands and more will be shared through social media and the Interspeech 2025 website and newsletter. If you want to stay up to date, follow the Interspeech 2025 organisation team via:

• X (formerly known as Twitter): @ISCAInterspeech

• LinkedIN: isca-interspeech

• Website and newsletter: https://interspeech2025.org/

Award nomination season is coming up

The deadlines for the nominations for ISCA Fellows, Distinguished Lecturers and the ISCA Service Medal are coming up! I would like to invite you to nominate one (or more) of your esteemed colleagues for one of the ISCA honours. More information on the nomination procedure can be found at https://isca-speech.org/Honours. Deadlines:

• ISCA Service Medal 2025: Closing date 5 January 2025

• ISCA Distinguished Lecturer Closing Date February 10, 2025

• ISCA Fellows 2025: Closing date 1 March 2025

Volunteers

Are you interested in supporting our great association with your time or expertise? Are you interested in building your CV? Are you interested in learning more about how ISCA and the ISCA board work and would you like to help out? That is great! Now that ISCA has grown so large, we could use your support! Please sign up by filling in the form on the ISCA home page:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSckba3R1XSxnHYoB8yKGNcM84siurQSOD3qY8oGgPN6naejDw/viewform

ISCA Board elections

Next year April, we will have new ISCA board elections. If you are interested in learning more about joining the ISCA board, please let us know! We are happy to talk to you.

Important dates

• ISCA Service Medal 2025: Closing date 5 January 2025

• Distinguished Lecturer 2025: Closing Date 10 February 2025

• Interspeech 2025 Paper deadline: 12 February 2025

• ISCA Fellows 2025: Closing date 1 March 2025

Odette Scharenborg

ISCA president