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What is PSY21?PSY21 - Psychological Science for the 21st Century - is a new initiative led by the APA Board of Scientific Affairs (BSA) to help psychology meet the opportunities and challenges of the 21st Century. PSY21 creates a solid foundation on which the APA Science Directorate will build an ambitious and effective agenda to support and promote the science of psychology. These activities will be important in APA's efforts to advance the science of psychology, to provide value to its membership, and to attract new members. Why now? And why Psy21?Psychology presently enjoys unprecedented opportunities for research, education and outreach. More than ever before, behavior is recognized as a prime contributor to important societal outcomes. Behavioral interventions have gained broad reach in treating individuals, groups, and organizations; psychology's expertise is increasingly sought for issues in education, the workplace, safety & security, decision making, risk assessment, rehabilitation, and prevention. Along with new opportunities, psychology also faces new challenges. These include developing skills and mechanisms for trans-disciplinary, problem-based research approaches; balancing increasing specialization while maintaining the unity of the discipline; building a pipeline to assure a strong next generation of psychological scientists; and working within increasingly complex regulatory systems. APA is uniquely positioned to champion and broadcast the opportunities and to provide tools to the discipline to tackle the challenges. What will PSY21 do?PSY21 is organized around three interlocking areas of emphasis: 1. Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR)
PSY21 will build on initiatives begun by BSA's Task Force on Research Regulation, funded by Council in 2003-4. Activities will include RCR workshops and development of training and informational materials. PSY21 will broaden the purview of RCR to include responsible translation of research results into a form that is understandable and usable by the general public and policy makers. 2. Culture of Service to the Discipline (COS) 3. Infrastructure for the Science of Psychology (ISP) Activities planned for 2005 and BeyondPSY21 will provide a platform for developing science-based initiatives at APA. Activities being planned include: Science Leadership Conference - an annual conference for science leaders, as a companion to APA's Education- and State- Leadership conferences. This conference will serve as a forum for disseminating information about RCR, COS, ISP, and science policy issues; for developing new program ideas in service of psychological science; and a venue to discuss future trends and opportunities. Enhanced Web Resources - an enhanced Science web presence will serve as a repository of resource links, information, and curriculum materials. BSA Ad Hoc Committee on Research Issues (AHCORI) - an ad hoc committee will provide expertise and oversight on research issues, particularly as they pertain to the full range of Responsible Conduct of Research issues. The ad hoc committee will assist in the development of materials and training, provide expert advice to staff who monitor and respond to proposed legislation and regulations that affect the conduct of research, and will position APA and BSA (and its committees) to provide psychological scientists with the advice, information, and tools important to sustaining research in the evolving regulatory climate. Workshops - special focus workshops on RCR topics (e.g., research ethics; animal research, mentoring; conflict of interest; peer review) will be offered at specialty association meetings, regional psychological association meetings, and APA convention. Information Clearinghouse - for materials relating to IRB issues and behavioral research; RCR topics, including animal research. Advocacy - for RCR regulation/legislation. Partnerships - for collaborative projects with organizations that have common goals (e.g., Office of Research Integrity [ORI] for RCR projects; Council of Graduate Departments of Psychology [COGDOP] for COS projects). Awards - to support the culture of service in Departments of Psychology and to recognize individuals for service to psychological science. Disciplinary development - development of a leadership role in addressing disciplinary needs (for example, standards for data management, sharing, and ownership). PSY21 Complements other Science-Based InitiativesPSY21 is a companion to the Academic Enhancement Initiative (AEI). The AEI supports the activities of psychological scientists by providing training in cutting edge research tools (Advanced Training Institutes), by increasing the pipeline through student outreach (Exploring Behavior Week) and intense student educational experiences (Summer Science Institutes). PSY21 will provide different sorts of tools - focused not on the substance of psychological science, but on enhancing the context in which psychological science operates - to do a better job and to do it right! PSY21 will be inaugurated over a period of two years. The initial set of activities (workshops, committee meetings, website development, awards) will be developed in 2005. The Board of Directors and the Council of Representatives endorsed BSA's proposal for PSY21 in their summer meetings. The 2005 budget for PSY21 of $197,000 will increase to $394,000 in 2006.
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