2004 Annual Reports for Boards and Committees

Committee on International Relations in Psychology (CIRP)

The APA Committee on International Relations in Psychology (CIRP) met twice during 2004 during the spring and fall consolidated meetings. The 2004 elected CIRP members were: M. Brinton Lykes, PhD, 2004 CIRP Chair; Norman Abeles, PhD; Karen F. Wyche, PhD; Eileen R. Borris, EdD; Joy K. Rice, PhD; Judith V. Torney-Purta, PhD; Raymond Fowler, PhD; Lillian Comas-Diaz, PhD; and Georgia Chao, PhD.

CIRP was the lead group on the Council item, the APA Resolution on Culture and Gender Awareness in International Psychology, which was adopted by Council in August 2004. Also in Hawaii, the committee sponsored three hours of Convention programming as well as its annual Reception for International Visitors. The reception was an outstanding success with over 250 attendees.

Two CIRP members were appointed to APA task forces. Judith Torney-Purta is a member on the Task Force on Internationalizing the Psychology Curriculum and Joy Rice represents CIRP on the oversight group on APA's participation in an international network on lesbian, gay, and bisexual issues.

CIRP oversees nominations for two annual APA awards. The 2005 APA Award for Distinguished Contributions to the International Advancement of Psychology was given to co-recipients Gary Melton, PhD, and Charles Spielberger, PhD, and the 2005 APA Humanitarian Award be given to Eduardo Almeida, PhD. (The latter award was approved by the Board of Directors at their December meeting.) CIRP also administers an International Scientific Meetings Support Fund, which in 2004 was shared by the Interamerican Society of Psychology and the International Council of Psychology to support regional meetings in Guatemala and China.

And finally, CIRP continued its oversight role with the Association's nongovernmental organization “team” working at the United Nations. New members were appointed to the NGO team in 2004, and CIRP oversaw the nominations and appointments of the new representatives. Florence Denmark was appointed as the Main Representative. The main representative routinely attends CIRP meetings and reports on APA activity at UN headquarters and, occasionally abroad.