Two major odour and chemical sensing societies — the Japan Association on Odour Environment (JAOE / におい・かおり環境協会) and the International Society for Olfaction and Chemical Sensing (ISOCS) — have recently updated their leadership. JAOE refreshed its board as of 23 May, while ISOCS elected a new Executive Board as of 20 May at ISOEN 2026 in Chongqing, China, marking a transition in governance for both organisations.
These updates affect not only the officers themselves but also how each society will coordinate research, training, industry collaboration and international activities in the coming years. Below are the key details on the new leadership, their roles and the institutions involved. Read on to see the full list of officers and what this means for the community.
The odour and chemical sensing community recently received two governance updates. First, the Japan Association on Odour Environment (JAOE) (におい・かおり環境協会) updated its board as of 23 May 2026, with Yuki Komine (小峯 裕己) of Chiba Institute of Technology serving as Chair, and Hidemoto Yugawa (祐川 英基) and Manami Fujikura (藤倉 まなみ) as Vice-Chairs. This reflects a formal refresh of the society's leadership.
Second, at the 21st IEEE/ISOCS International Symposium on Olfaction and Electronic Nose (ISOEN 2026), held 17–20 May 2026 in Chongqing, China, the International Society for Olfaction and Chemical Sensing (ISOCS) elected a new Executive Board. The newly elected officers are Prof. Laura Maria Teresa Capelli as President, Prof. Jordi Fonollosa as Vice-President, Dr Yanxia Hou (侯艳霞) as Secretary, and Dr Jan Mitrovics as Treasurer.
JAOE's board also includes representatives from Eikan Kanri Center (環境管理センター), Kobayashi Pharmaceutical (小林製薬), J. F. Oberlin University (桜美林大学), Ritsumeikan University (立命館大学), Yamaguchi University (山口大学), Daido University (大同大学), Asahi Kogyo-sha (朝日工業社) and Fukuoka University (福岡大学). These appointments maintain a mix of academic, industrial and regional representation.
Both societies have now updated their boards with new teams. JAOE's board reflects a continued focus on odour-environment work in Japan, while ISOCS has announced its new Executive Board following ISOEN 2026 in Chongqing. If you want to know more about these societies, check out the following links for ISOCS and for JAOE.
Photo: handover of board members at the ISOEN 2026 conference.
