Beginning in March and continuing throughout the year, psychology's regional conferences sponsor programming to keep the field up-to-date on developments in psychological science, practice and education. Psychologists will find professional development and networking opportunities–and all at a psychology conference that's close to home.

Eastern Psychological Association (EPA),
March 16–19, Baltimore
www.easternpsychological.org

EPA will feature notable speakers such as APA President Gerald P. Koocher, PhD, of Simmons College, who will be speaking about "Questionable Fads and Practices in 20th Century Clinical Psychology." Morgan Sammons, PhD, of the U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery will address "Prescription Privileges for Psychologists: History, Rationale and Current Status." John Dovidio, PhD, of the University of Connecticut, will present the lecture "From Interpersonal to Intergroup: The Influence of Subtle Bias on Race-Race Relations."

Also, neuroscientist Bernard Balleine, PhD, of UCLA will present on "Affect, Arousal and Reward in Corticostriatal Circuits." David Myers, PhD, of Hope College, will speak on "Positive Psychology and the Scientific Pursuit of Happiness." Janet Hyde, PhD, of the University of Wisconsin, will discuss "Teaching Undergraduate Human Sexuality: A Course, a Week or a Lecture." Alan Kazdin, PhD, of Yale University, is presenting an APA Distinguished Scientist Lecture sponsored by the APA Science Directorate titled "Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy: Needed Changes in Clinical Research and Practice."

Southeastern Psychological Association (SEPA),
March 16–19, Atlanta
www.sepaonline.com

SEPA distinguished speakers include Terry Maple, PhD, a renowned Georgia Tech experimental psychologist; Bob Neimeyer, PhD, editor of Death Studies and a University of Memphis psychology professor; Bob Dipboye, PhD, an industrial and organizational psychologist known for his work on training, leadership and employment discrimination and chair of psychology at the University of Central Florida; and Jennifer Friday, PhD, a consultant and advocate who focuses on HIV/AIDS and racial disparities in health.

The program also will feature G. Stanley Hall lecturer Daniel Povinelli, PhD, of the Cognitive Evolution Center, University of Louisiana; and the Committee on Equality of Professional Opportunity (CEPO) keynote address by Valerie Whittlesey, PhD, of Kennesaw State University. Psi Chi and other groups also will present programs.

Southwestern Psychological Association (SWPA),
April 13–15, Austin, Texas
www.swpsych.org

The SWPA program will include speakers such as Monica Biernat, PhD, of the University of Kansas, discussing the psychology of stereotypes and prejudice. Joshua Aronson, PhD, of New York University, will speak about stereotypes and academic achievement. David Buss, PhD, of the University of Texas at Austin, will talk about his new book "The Murderer Next Door: Why the Mind is Designed to Kill" (Penguin, 2005). Jeffrey Alberts, PhD, of Indiana University, will present the APA Distinguished Scientist Lecture titled "Anatomy of a Super-Organism." Elliot Aronson, PhD, professor emeritus of the University of California, Santa Cruz, will be interviewed during a special session called "Cognitive Dissonance, the Jigsaw Classroom, the Columbine Massacre and George W. Bush: An Informal Conversation with Elliot Aronson."

Rocky Mountain Psychological Association (RMPA),
April 20–22, Park City, Utah
www.rockymountainpsych.org

Saul Kassin, PhD, of Williams College, will discuss "Inside Interrogation: Why Innocent People Confess." James Rimpau, PhD, of Montana State University, will present "The American University as Research Subject: Or Can an Experimental Psychologist Make it as a University Administrator?" Alice Healy, PhD, of the University of Colorado at Boulder, will talk about "Cognitive Processes in Communication Between Pilots and Air Traffic Control." Charles Honts, PhD, of Boise State University, will discuss deception and its detection. Ross Loomis, PhD, of Colorado State University, will speak about environmental psychology. And William Buskist, PhD, of the University of Auburn, will deliver an APA G. Stanley Hall Lecture sponsored by APA's Education Directorate. RMPA also is offering a pre-conference teaching workshop on April 20.

Western Psychological Association (WPA),
April 27–30, Palm Springs, Calif.
www.westernpsych.org

WPA speakers include Elizabeth Loftus, PhD, of the University of California, Irvine, on "Memory Viruses Can Spread"; 2002 APA president Philip Zimbardo, PhD, Stanford University professor emeritus, talking about "Memory as a Social, Personal Narrative"; James McGaugh, PhD, of the University of California, Irvine, on "Exploring for Memory in the Brain"; James Kalat, PhD, of North Carolina State University, presenting "Classroom Demonstrations for the Biology of Behavior"; and 2004 APA president Diane Halpern, PhD, of Claremont McKenna College, discussing "Positive Retirement: It's a Whole New Phase in the Life Span." Barry Schwartz, PhD, of Swarthmore College, will present an APA G. Stanley Hall Lecture on "The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less."

WPA will also offer several statistical and methodological workshops. Prior to the WPA conference, the Lewis M. Terman Western Regional Teaching Conference will provide opportunities for psychologists to see award-winning teachers in action.

Midwestern Psychological Association (MPA),
May 4–6, Chicago
www.midwesternpsych.org

MPA will include a full line-up of sessions, symposia and presentations by distinguished researchers. Invited speakers include Dolores Albarracin, PhD, of the University of Florida, presenting "The Side Effects of the HIV Epidemic: Understanding Behavioral Change in the Context of Power, Race and Gender"; Sheri Berenbaum, PhD, of Pennsylvania State University, discussing "Influence of Sex Hormones on Psychological Sex Differences during Prenatal Development"; Alan Kamil, PhD, of the University of Nebraska, speaking about "Evolution, Natural History and Cognition"; Robert Siegler, PhD, of Carnegie Mellon University, presenting "Development of Number Sense"; and Daniel Wegner, PhD, of Harvard University, speaking on "Authorship Processing: How Do you Know that Your Actions are Your Own?"

The program also will feature an APA Distinguished Scientist Lecture, sponsored by APA's Science Directorate, on "Cultural Differences in the Self-concept and Subjective Well-being" by Shigehiro Oishi, PhD, of the University of Virginia. An APA-sponsored panel on getting an academic job in psychology will include advice from senior and new faculty.

New England Psychological Association (NEPA),
Oct. 20–21, Manchester, N.H.
www.nepa-info.org

NEPA will hold its annual meeting in the fall, kicking off the conference with a presentation by Saul Kassin, PhD, of Williams College, speaking on the psychology of confessions. The meeting also will include a G. Stanley Hall Lecture by Barbara Fredrickson, PhD, of the University of Michigan, sponsored by the APA Education Directorate, a Science and Society Series sponsored by the APA Science Directorate, and a William James Distinguished Lecture sponsored by the American Psychological Society. The NEPA meeting is preceded by the Northeastern Conference for Teachers of Psychology.

– Compiled by M. Boenau