If a student asked me, “Other than attending psychology classes, what is a good way to learn more about psychology?” my immediate answer would be to attend a professional psychology conference. Even better, attend the conference and participate by presenting a research poster. Many students I’ve known agree that the conference experience can be a transformational — they emerge with an enhanced understanding and appreciation for the science of psychology.
Professional psychology conferences happen every year. A given conference typically lasts two to three days. Each conference schedule has an almost dizzying variety of events: Lectures by famous psychologists (e.g., Elizabeth Loftus, Phillip Zimbardo); symposia in which three to four speakers each give shorts talks on a theory or research area of psychology; poster sessions in which researchers, teachers and students present posters on research they’ve conducted; and social hours where conference participants can meet one another. Many conference events (lectures, symposia and posters sessions) occur simultaneously, which means you should look through the conference program in advance and choose the sessions you want to attend. All conferences include an exhibit hall that features booths with text and software publishers, vendors demonstrating technology tools useful for lab research, college and university representatives promoting their degree programs, and so on.
Irvine Valley College students presenting at the Psi Beta conference.
There are many benefits for students who attend a professional psychology conference. Students can meet some of the well-known psychologists mentioned in their textbooks, network with professors and students from a university to which they may someday apply, and learn about some of psychology’s most recent research. If you’ve been conducting research under the supervision of a psychology professor, you may be able to present your research in a poster session. Additionally, Psi Beta* and Psi Chi** often have chapter exchange sessions where members can share and learn about fresh ideas for chapter activities. Finally, mentioning conference attendance (and participation if you present a poster) is a sure way to strengthen your curriculum vitae and resume.
Below is a listing of regional and several national conferences and the programming Psi Beta has planned for each conference. Psi Beta’s programs are just a very small part of each of these outstanding conferences; I mention them here to show how conferences welcome community college professors and their students. Also, if you can find a way to travel to Washington, D.C., this August, Psi Beta provides a student research poster session during the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association. See below for more information on applying for the student poster session to be held during the APA annual meeting. Please note that all attendees must pay a registration fee to attend any conference, and regional conferences are less costly to attend than the national conferences.
Regional Psychology Conferences
- Eastern Psychological Associationopens in new window (EPA) — Boston, March 12-14, 2020
- Southeastern Psychological Associationopens in new window (SEPA) — New Orleans, April 1-4, 2020
- Southwestern Psychological Associationopens in new window (SWPA) — Frisco, TX, April 3-5, 2020
- Rocky Mt. Psychological Associationopens in new window (RMPA) — Denver, April 16-18, 2020
- Midwestern Psychological Associationopens in new window (MPA) — Chicago, April 23-25, 2020
Psi Beta events at MPA include:
- Psi Chi, Psi Beta, Psi Alpha Collaboration Meeting/Social Time — TBA
- Regional Psi Beta student posters (integrated into other poster sessions) — TBA
Please contact Bryan Gerber for additional information as it develops.
- Western Psychological Associationopens in new window (WPA) — San Francisco, April 30-May 3, 2020
Psi Beta events at WPA include:
- Psi Beta poster session — May 2, 8 a.m.
- Psi Beta chapter exchange — May 2, 1:45 to 3:15 p.m.
- Psi Beta/Psi Chi/Psi Alpha — Building Connections Between Honor Societies — May 2, 3:30 p.m.
National Psychology Conferences
Association for Psychological Scienceopens in new window (APS) — Chicago, May 21-24, 2020
Psi Beta’s events at APS include:
- Carol Tracy Distinguished Lecture — Speaker, topic, day, time to be determined
American Psychological Association (APA) — Washington, DC – August 6-9, 2020
For information about APA’s next convention, visit the convention website.
Psi Beta’s events at APA 2020 include:
- Ruth Cousins Distinguished Lecture — Sue Frantz will present "An Intro Psych for Today: Let’s Toss Out the Bathwater and Maybe the Baby Too!" Aug. 8, 8 a.m., CC 209A
- Symposium on Teaching and Learning Excellence — "High-Impact Experiential Learning Programs and Strategies: Service Learning" — Chaired by Kimberley Duff, presentations by Bryan Gerber, Jennifer O’Loughlin-Brooks, Todd A. Joseph — Aug. 8, 11 a.m., CC 149A
- Student Research Poster Session — Aug. 8, 1 p.m., poster session area of Exhibit Hall
Psi Beta students can apply to presentopens in new window.
*Psi Betaopens in new window is the national honor society in psychology for community college students.
**Psi Chiopens in new window is the international honor society for colleges and university students.
About the author
Jerry Rudmann teaches psychology at Irvine Valley College. Prior to teaching, he was a human factors engineer at Rockwell International. Jerry has been Psi Beta's executive director since 2005. Rudmann has served on a variety of APA task forces including the 21st Century Workplace Skills task force and APA's Guidelines 1.0 and 2.0 task forces.
