Division spotlight

Volume 36, No. 10 November 2005

Table of contents

Division spotlight
Print version: page 90

Call for nominations for 2006 teaching awards

APA Div. 2 (Society for the Teaching of Psychology) is seeking nominations for its 2006 program of awards for outstanding teachers of psychology. Winners of the five teaching awards each receive $750 and a plaque to acknowledge outstanding performance in each of five areas:

• The Robert S. Daniel Award for teaching in four-year colleges or universities.

• The Moffett Memorial Teaching Award for teaching in two-year colleges or high schools.

• The Early Career Teaching Award for the first five years of teaching at any level.

• The McKeachie Graduate Student Teaching Excellence Award for a graduate student.

The submission deadline is Jan. 18. Renominations and self-nominations are acceptable. Send nominations, queries and requests for nomination criteria to STP Teaching Awards Committee, c/o Tom Pusateri, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Bldg. 44, SO–303, Boca Raton, FL 33431-0991, or e-mail Elizabeth Yost Hammer, PhD. For more information, visit the TeachPsych Web site at http://teachpsych.lemoyne.edu/teachpsych/div/benefits-awards.html.

Div. 27 biennial conference examined community psychology

Div. 27 (Society for Community Research and Action) held its 10th Biennial Conference in June at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus. The theme was "40 Years Post-Swampscott: Community Psychology in Global Perspective." The conference targeted issues of concern to community psychologists, and presenters spoke about the growth and evolution of the field of community psychology. Highlights included:

• A presidential address by Clifford R. O'Donnell, PhD, in which he discussed how a key value of community psychology--diversity--differs from culture, and the increasing importance of becoming a cultural community psychology. He also shared examples of research and opportunities for facilitating cultural community psychology.

• A series of visioning sessions to plan the future of the society.

• Awards recipients were David Julian, PhD, Distinguished Contributions to Practice Award, Rhona Weinstein, PhD, Seymour B. Sarason Award, and Yolanda Suarez-Balcazar, PhD, Ethnic-Minority Mentoring Award.

• Keynote addresses by J. Lawrence Aber, PhD, "Children's Exposure to War and Community Violence: Knowledge for Action," Stanley Sue, PhD, "Ethnicity, Culture and Mental Health: The Confluence of Science and Politics," and M. Brinton Lykes, PhD, "Narratives and the Representations of Survival: The Politics and Praxis of Action Research and Liberatory Community in a Post-9/11 World."

--E. PACKARD

APA names Alderman new continuing-education and professional-development director

APA's Education Directorate appointed Heather Alderman director of continuing education and professional development in July. Alderman most recently served as the director of continuing education for Envision EMI, LLC. In a position with the Industrial Research Institute, she developed programs for operational leaders in research and development. For the Council on Podiatric Medical Education, she worked with a committee of podiatrists to develop, modify and enforce continuing-education standards and requirements for continuing-education providers. Alderman received her bachelor's in social psychology from Tufts University and was a sociology PhD candidate at American University for three years studying social policy and gender and family studies. Alderman expects to complete a certificate program in organizational development at Marymount University in May.
She plans to use her qualitative and quantitative research skills to understand the needs of the APA membership and further develop APA's various continuing-education programs.
"My plans for the position include developing online educational 'webinars' that provide an interactive, forum-like environment that enhances learning but values participants' time," she says.
Her other goals include working with the other education directors to develop and promote solid educational research and programming; working across APA's directorates to improve and develop educational programs; and "making APA the premiere place where psychologists go for their continuing-education needs."
She welcomes ideas, questions and comments from members. To contact Alderman, call (202) 336-5994 or e-mail.
--E. PACKARD