Election Committee (ELCOM)

In 2019 the EAS Executive Committee defined in detail the processes for the Society’s elections; these were first implemented in 2020. The Executive Committee appoints the Chair of the Election Committee, and the Society’s members are engaged in the selection of its members.

Election Committee 2026-2028

Election Committee Chair 2026-2028

Prof Ruth Frikke-Schmidt

Copenhagen, Denmark

Prof Lina Badimon

Barcelona, Spain

Prof Minna Kaikkonen

Kuopio, Finland

Prof Paolo Parini

Stockholm, Sweden

Prof Marit Westerterp

Groningen, The Netherlands

Previous members of the Election Committee

Remit of the Election Committee

The Election Committee is tasked with reviewing nominations from EAS members to fill vacancies left by retiring Officers or Ordinary Members of the Executive Committee.

The committee selects up to five candidates for each position, considering several factors:

a. Qualifications and suitability
The Election Committee evaluates nominees based on their qualifications and suitability for the position, comparing them to the ideal candidate profile.

b. Geographical spread
The committee ensures a balanced representation by considering the geographical spread of candidates and existing Executive Committee members.

c. Gender balance
Maintaining gender balance is a priority in candidate selection to promote diversity and inclusion within the Executive Committee.

Eligibility criteria, ideal candidate profiles, and Conflict of Interest (COI) disclosures are also taken into account during the selection process to ensure transparency and fairness.

Independence and discretion

• Election Committee retains the authority to make independent decisions, not subject to overruling by the Executive Committee.
• Election Committee exercises complete discretion in its decision-making process.
• The final list of candidates to stand in the election for Executive Committee positions presented to the EAS members is inviolable, not subject to alteration by the Executive Committee or any EAS members.

Election of Election Committee Members

• The EAS members are actively engaged in determining the composition of the Election Committee.
• The Election Committee is constituted by a chair and four members.
• The chair of the Election Committee is autonomously appointed by the Executive Committee for a non-renewable term of three years.
  • Chair appointment and removal
    • The Executive Committee reserves the right to remove the Election Committee chair if deemed incapable of fulfilling duties, requiring unanimous agreement among all Executive Committee members for removal.
    • In the event of the chair’s removal, the Election Committee is dissolved, necessitating the formation of a new committee.
  • Selection of Election Committee Members:
    • The chair curates a “short list” of 8-10 nominees from diverse countries, each possessing requisite scientific qualifications, leadership experience, and gender balance.
    • Society members cast their votes for Election Committee members via the EAS website. The top four nominees with the highest votes are elected as Election Committee members.
• Term of office
  • Election Committee members serve either one or three-year terms, with no possibility of re-election.
  • The Election Committee is entrusted with ensuring the adherence to these principles, thereby upholding a fair and transparent electoral process within the EAS Society.