1. Program Overview and Objectives

The ISCA Distinguished Lecturer (DL) Program is one of ISCA’s most prestigious honors, recognizing outstanding scientists who have made significant contributions to speech communication science and technology and who are willing to share their knowledge with the world. The program empowers these distinguished researchers to serve as global ambassadors of the field, delivering inspiring lectures and sharing insights during international lecture tours in regions where speech and language research communities are still emerging.

1.1. Appointment Structure ISCA intends to appoint one DL per year. The appointment extends over a two-year term, ensuring that two DLs are active concurrently.

1.2. Target Regions The regions currently covered by the Program are listed below. This list is subject to periodic review by the ISCA Board.

• Eastern Europe

• Africa

• West/South/South-East Asia

• South/Latin America (including the Caribbean)

• Oceania

2. Program Structure

The DL program operates on an annual cycle divided into two distinct phases: Phase 1 focuses on the selection of the DL-designate, while Phase 2 focuses on soliciting hosts for the lecture tours. A designated member of the ISCA Board is responsible for overseeing the DL process, with support from the ISCA Secretariat. The following table summarizes the key stages and indicative dates of the DL Program cycle. These may be slightly adjusted each year depending on the Board meeting schedule. The current ISCA Board member overseeing the DL program is Hung-yi Lee (hungyilee@ntu.edu.tw). All the forms mentioned below should be submitted to education@isca-speech.org. For general communication, please use the email address education@isca-speech.org.

Phase	Stage	Period
Phase 1 – Selecting the DL-designate	Call for Nominations announced	November
	Nomination deadline (submission of forms and references)	10 February
	Review by former DLs and ISCA Board selection	February – March
	Announcement of DL-designate	Late February / Early March
Phase 2 – Soliciting Hosts for Lecture Tours	Consultation with DL-designate and identification of preferred regions	Late February / Early March
	Call for Host Proposals and proposal submission	March – May
	Review of proposals and finalization of tour plan	May – June
	Budget approval and DL confirmation	Late June / Early July

3. Phase 1: Selecting the DL-designate 

This phase focuses on identifying and selecting the DL-designate based on their research achievements, contributions in academia or industry, teaching or mentoring experience, and commitment to sharing knowledge.

3.1. Eligibility Any ISCA member, with the exception of current ISCA Board members, is eligible for nomination as a DL. ISCA Fellows are also eligible and are strongly encouraged to be nominated.

3.2. Call for Nominations The call for nominations is issued in November, with a submission deadline in February. (For the 2026 cycle, the deadline is 10 February.)

3.3. Nomination Requirements Nominations must be accompanied by the following:

• A completed Nomination Form. Self-nomination is permitted. 

• Two references from senior members of the ISCA community (e.g., ISCA Fellows or Board Members), using the official Reference Form.  

3.4. DL Selection Process

• Completed DL applications are examined by a panel composed of former DLs.

• The panel evaluates candidates based on their scientific prominence, presentation experience, and the relevance of their proposed topics, recommending a shortlist to the ISCA Board.

• The ISCA Board reviews the recommendations and makes the final selection.

3.5. Announcement The newly appointed DL-designate will be announced following the selection.

4. Phase 2: Soliciting Hosts for Lecture Tours 

Following the announcement of the new DL-designate, this phase focuses on organizing the lecture tours by soliciting hosts. Eligible hosts include institutions, ISCA Special Interest Groups (SIGs), or recognized research groups located within the Target Regions (see 1.2).

4.1. Consultation on DL-designate’s Preferences Upon announcement, the ISCA Board member overseeing the DL program will consult with the DL-designate to determine their preferences regarding the lecture tour. The DL-designate should indicate whether they have specific preferred institutes or research groups in the Target Regions that they recommend as hosts for their lecture tours, or if they have no particular preference.

4.2. Host Identification Strategy The ISCA Board will coordinate the arrangement of lecture tours based on the preferences indicated by the DL-designate:

• When preferences are specified: If the DL-designate has recommended hosts within the Target Regions, the ISCA Board will contact these sites and invite them to submit a Host Proposal.

• When no preferences are specified: If the DL-designate has no specific preference, the ISCA Board will take the initiative in organizing the lecture tours. This may be done by issuing a general Call for Host Proposals across all Target Regions or by directly matching the DL-designate with suitable host opportunities proactively identified by the Board.

4.3. Host Proposal Requirements Regardless of how the host is identified, a formal proposal must be submitted using the official Host Proposal Form. 

• It is recommended that multiple institutes or groups from the same region collaborate on a joint proposal.

• Potential hosts are encouraged to contact the ISCA Board member overseeing the DL Program during proposal preparation for guidance or for assistance in connecting with other local institutes or groups interested in co-hosting.

4.4. Tour Finalization The DL-designate, in coordination with the hosts, finalizes the specific dates, venues, and detailed itinerary of the proposed tour. Together, the hosts and the DL-designate prepare a final tour plan, which must include an estimate of international travel costs that will be funded by ISCA (see 5.1).

4.5. Budget Approval and DL Confirmation The final tour plan is submitted to the ISCA Board for budgetary review and approval. No travel bookings or financial commitments should be made before this approval and confirmation are granted. Once the Board approves the plan and allocates the travel budget, the DL-designate is formally confirmed as an ISCA Distinguished Lecturer (DL).

5. Funding and Logistics

5.1. ISCA Responsibilities ISCA is responsible for funding the DL’s international travel costs associated with the approved lecture tours.

5.2. Host Responsibilities Local hosts are responsible for funding and arranging all local aspects of the visit, including accommodation, meals, venue logistics, and local transportation. Hosts should also provide visa support letters (if applicable).

6. Commitments and Responsibilities

6.1. Distinguished Lecturers (DLs)

• Tours: DLs must commit to undertaking at least two lecture tours during their two-year term.

• Upon successful completion of their term, DLs will receive a complimentary registration for the subsequent Interspeech conference.

6.2. Host Institutions

• Logistics: Hosts are responsible for all local planning, venue management, and logistical support for the visit.

• Promotion: Hosts must promote the event locally to ensure appropriate audience engagement and provide the promotional materials to the ISCA Board member overseeing the DL Program, so that the event can also be announced through ISCA’s official communication channels and media platforms.

• Hosts are encouraged to contact the ISCA Board member overseeing the DL Program for guidance or assistance during the preparation and hosting of the event.

• Post-Tour Reporting: Hosts are required to submit a report to the ISCA Board after the visit. This report should summarize the execution of the event, audience engagement, and the realized impact of the visit.

 Previous Distinguished Lecturers