I received the sad news with deep regret that Professor Ben Greenebaum passed away on November 2, 2023. Please accept my heartfelt condolences to his beloved wife Nancy and the family. Ben had been devoting himself for the activities of the Bioelectromagnetics Society (BEMS) as the editor-in-chief for many years (1993-2006) and the president of the society (2006-2007). Without Ben’s long-term service for the society, the BEMS has not been developed well to keep the high level in scientific quality in the field of bioelectromagnetics worldwide. Ben was awarded the d’Arsonval Medal in 2020. We enjoyed his award lecture after the award ceremony via on-line system at the BioEM 2020 conference where Nancy was sitting behind Ben to watch over Ben warmly. The award lecture was so great and so impressive that scientific philosophy and deep insight of Professor Ben Greenebaum were introduced.
Personally, I was honored to work with Ben as a member of the editorial board of the BEMS journal. In October 2004, I suggested Ben to be a candidate of the BEMS president at lovely Mediterranean bioelectromagnetic conference in Kos as I was the immediately past president of BEMS. Ben hesitated to accept my suggestion because he could not work the heavy job of chair of the scientific program committee of the BEMS conference. I told him that the new rule for the election of the BEMS president was changed; the new rule selects president directly, skipping the duty of the chair of scientific program committee. When I told this new rule to Ben, Nancy reacted to my suggestion, and she encouraged Ben to be a candidate for the president. Ben finally decided to be a candidate for the president. What a wonderful couple they are! During the period when Ben served the BEMS as president, the annual BEMS conference was held in Kanazawa, Japan in June 2007. The local organizing committee chaired by myself and all Japanese side ware happy and honored to host the annual BEMS conference. The conference was a great success thanks to Ben and all attendees.
Professor Ben Greenebaum was indeed a great scientist and leader in the world of bioelectromanetics. We thank him for his leadership and great contribution to the society.
Please give heavenly comfort to Nancy and her family.
With deepest sympathy,
Shoogo Ueno
Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, JapanPresident of the Bioelectromagnetics Society (2003-2004)Winner of the D’Arsonval Award 2010