Volume 19: No. 5, May 2005

May 2005 Announcements

Bullock to move to the Office of International Affairs

On June 1, Associate Executive Director for Science, Merry Bullock, will move from the Science Directorate to assume the position of Senior Director for International Affairs. Executive Director Steve Breckler noted "of course, we are very sorry to see her leave, but we are glad that APA will continue to benefit from her enthusiasm and expertise." Says Bullock, "this new position is an extension of what I have been doing - championing psychology, and finding ways to involve psychologists in its programs, issues and advocacy. I am very excited to do this with the broadest possible horizons - across borders and for the whole of psychology. I invite you all to send me your thoughts and concerns via email."

Methodology and Measurement in the Behavioral and Social Sciences

Program Announcement (PA) Number: PA-05-090

Release Date: April 15, 2005

Standard dates apply, please see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm for details.

Visit http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-05-090.html for program details.

The behavioral and social sciences offer significant fundamental insights into the comprehensive understanding of human health, including disease etiology and treatment, and the promotion of health and well-being. To encourage the investigation of the impact of social and behavioral factors on health and disease, the participating Institutes and Centers invite qualified researchers to submit research grant applications on methodology and measurement in the behavioral and social sciences. Methodology and measurement encompass research design, data collection techniques, measurement, and data analysis techniques. The goal of this program announcement is to encourage research that will improve the quality and scientific power of data collected in the behavioral and social sciences, relevant to the missions of the NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs). Research that addresses methodology and measurement issues in diverse populations, issues in studying sensitive behaviors, issues of ethics in research, issues related to confidential data and the protection of research subjects, and issues in developing interdisciplinary, multimethod, and multilevel approaches to behavioral and social science research is particularly encouraged, as are approaches that integrate behavioral and social science research with biomedical, physical, or computational science research or engineering.

Inquiries should be directed to Dr. Deborah Olster at 301-451-4286.

APF/COGDOP Graduate Research Scholarships in Psychology

The American Psychological Foundation (APF) and the Council of Graduate Departments of Psychology (COGDOP) are jointly offering graduate research scholarships, including the $2,000 Clarence J. Rosecrans Scholarship, the $3,000 Ruth G. and Joseph D. Matarazzo Scholarship, as well as a number of $1,000 scholarships.

The scholarships will be given directly to the individual graduate students enrolled in an interim master’s program or doctoral program. If a student is currently enrolled in a terminal master’s program, the student must intend to enroll in a PhD program. Several fellowships have been reserved for students who, at the time of application, are within the first two years of graduate study in psychology. The purpose of the scholarship program is to assist graduate students of psychology with research costs. The American Psychological Association Science Directorate administers the granting of the scholarships.

The deadline for applications is June 27, 2005.

Please visit www.apa.org/science/apf-cogdop.html for a link to the application and instructions.

Award for Distinguished Service to Psychological Science

The APA Board of Scientific Affairs (BSA) is soliciting nominations for the Award for Distinguished Service to Psychological Science. This Award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to psychological science through their commitment to a culture of service. Nominees will have demonstrated their service to the discipline by aiding in association governance; serving on boards, committees and various psychological associations; editing journals; reviewing grant proposals; mentoring students and colleagues; advocating for psychological science’s best interests with state and federal lawmakers; and promoting the value of psychological science in the public eye. Nominees may be involved in one service area, many of the areas, or all of the service areas noted above. An individual’s service to the discipline and not a person’s scholarly achievements are the focus of this award.

To submit a nomination provide the following:

• A letter of nomination that describes and supports the individual’s contributions (e.g., nature of the individual’s service to psychological science, positions held, etc.). The nomination letter should be no more than two pages long.
• A curriculum vita
• Three letters of support from individuals familiar with the nominee’s service to the discipline (These letters can be from colleagues who have served with the nominee; a Dean familiar with the nominee’s service; former students; Association/Society presidents, etc.)

Award recipients will receive an honorarium of $1,000. The deadline for nominations is August 25, 2005. Nominations will be accepted only as electronic submissions to cultureofservice@apa.org. Please be sure to submit the nomination as a package that includes the letter of nomination, vita, and three letters of support.

Comments Needed on Standards for Educational Evaluation!

As a member of the Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation (JCSEE), APA is invited to participate in the revision of two JCSEE documents, the Program Evaluation Standards 2 and the Personnel Evaluation Standards.

The JCSEE Program Evaluation Standards 2 are intended to influence how government agencies, educational systems, professional organizations, health and human services, business and industry, and independent evaluators conduct evaluations of educational programs. They began their third revision cycle in 2003, with final input scheduled for fall 2005, and anticipated publication in 2006.

The JCSEE Personnel Evaluation Standards are intended to guide how school districts, universities, and other educational entities evaluate employees with respect to issues such as selection, retention, and promotion. The review of the Standards began in 2005, and the JCSEE is currently soliciting input for revision.

APA is seeking input from its members to ensure that the content and structure of the Standards reflect current psychological science and practice. JCSEE welcomes three major types of feedback

1. responses to current Standards (listings of both sets of Standards are available on-line at www.wmich.edu/evalctr/jc/),
2. review of draft documents for revisions, and
3. using the new draft Standards in field trials.

Please forward a copy of your input on the Program Evaluation Standards 2 and the Personnel Evaluation Standards to Jeff Braden, PhD, APA Representative to the JCSEE, at this email. Please note that input on the Program Evaluation Standards 2 must be received no later than 1 Sept., 2005. Input on Personnel Evaluation Standards must be received by 31 January, 2006.

To obtain drafts or to use the draft Standards in field trials, contact Barbara Howard, PhD at this email.

Grants Available for Scientific Conferences, Proposals Invited

The Science Directorate is currently seeking proposals for research conferences in psychology. The purpose of this program is to promote the exchange of important new contributions and approaches in scientific psychology. The next deadline for applications is June 1, 2005.

Grant money ranging from $500 to $20,000 is available for the scientific conference. Proposals will be considered using such formats as "add-a-day" conferences ($500-$3,000 available), "stand alone" conferences ($5,000-$20,000 available), and festschrifts ($5,000-$20,000 available). APA is also open to innovative ways of holding conferences. The conference must be additionally supported by the host institution with direct funds, in-kind support, or a combination of the two. Please note that a detailed budget including institutional support is required for application.

Conference proposals must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• One of the primary organizers must be a member of APA.
• Only academic institutions accredited by a regional body may apply. Independent research institutions must provide evidence of affiliation with an accredited institution. Joint proposals from cooperating institutions are encouraged.
• Conferences may be held only in the United States, its possessions, or Canada.
• APA governance groups, APA Divisions and other related entities are not eligible for funding under this program.

Conference manuscripts shall be submitted to APA after the conference is held for publication in PsycEXTRA, a companion database to the scholarly PsycINFO. PsycEXTRA is designed to link researchers, academics, clinicians, librarians, consumers, and policy-makers to a variety of information sources covering psychology, behavioral science, and health; PsycEXTRA provides the readership with original documents.

Seventy-five percent of funds will be distributed to grantees prior to the conferences, and the remaining twenty-five percent will be released following the conference and after the submission of a final financial report detailing conference expenditures equal to or exceeding Grantee's proposed total budget.

Conference review committee members are: Anita Davis, PhD; Michael Domjan, PhD; Irene Frieze, PhD; Kathleen McDermott, PhD; Kevin Murphy, PhD; and James W. Pennebaker, PhD.

For more information on review criteria, proposal contents, and budget guidelines, please refer to the APA website at http://www.apa.org/science/confer2.html or contact Deborah McCall, Science Program Manager, at (202) 218-3590 or email Deborah McCall.

PROPOSAL DEADLINE: June 1, 2005
Please mail proposals to:
APA Science Directorate
750 First Street, NE
Attn: Scientific Conferences Proposals
Washington, DC 20002-4242
http://www.apa.org/science/confer2.html