Following the successful completion of our third annual virtual conference, and as the current president of APA Division 34: Society of Environmental, Population, and Conservation Psychology, I am feeling proud, inspired, and motivated to see the fruits of our collective efforts. As global warming looms at large, our world needs to adapt to these changes. Voices from the Global South need to be amplified, and our research needs to be accessible to everyone across the world.
For the past three years, our division has worked hard to achieve just that. An annual event that brings together members of our division, no matter where in the world they are hailing from. This year, 200 participants from 30 countries took part in our virtual annual conference. Over two days, we heard from 48 speakers and discussants across two invited panels, two flash talk sessions, and six full talk sessions. Aside from getting the ability to present their research, scholars and practitioners across career stages built community in an immersive online setting (Airmeet) by engaging in speed-networking sessions, participating in community discussion tables, and attending a happy-hour event. In line with Division 34’s goals of increasing research accessibility, this year we also provided a record number of registration fee waivers and discounts to attendees from low- and middle-income countries.
We urge and recommend other divisions to consider hosting such a conference to meaningfully engage and empower voices of their membership across the world. This also allows for potential interdivisional collaborations (beyond joint sessions at APA), which can bring intersectional and interdisciplinary approaches to the forefront of our fields. One potential organization to consult when planning a virtual conference is the Clean Conferencing Instituteopens in new window, which we worked with actively during our conference planning process.
Although running an annual conference is not an easy endeavor, for this year and for future events, Division 34 plans to have an appointed person focusing solely on this effort, supported by a group of motivated volunteers (usually members of the executive committee and the presidential trio), to make this vision come true. If you have questions about this process (i.e., curating an online virtual conference) or are interested in collaborating in the future on such an endeavor, please contact the division president.