Q5: What concrete steps should APA take to enhance its science agenda (e.g., recognition of psychology as a STEM discipline; communication of the science of psychology)?
As president, I would strongly support the new, diverse generation of psychologist-scientists, valuing the insights and expertise they bring to the challenges and opportunities new technologies present. I would focus on five initiatives: (1) greater integration of practice and research; (2) increased federal funding for behavioral research while opposing anti-science political agendas; (3) promotion of scientific applications that further psychology's contribution to human welfare and the good of our planet; (4) expanded research partnerships with community members in underserved communities; and (5) creation of a young psychologists' advisory panel on integrating new technologies into psychological pedagogy, governance and practice.
Q6: What is your vision for APA’s role in the global psychology community? How are you planning to further APA’s relationships in an international context?
APA needs to renew its commitment to international standards of human rights, ethics and social justice. I've worked with psychologists from the UN and NGOs on five continents, addressing issues of trauma, political violence and natural disaster and learning from our international colleagues. Like politics, all psychology is local, and so large organizations gain much from listening to small communities worldwide. As president, I would establish an annual meeting of leaders of worldwide psychology organizations great and small to address transnational issues affecting mental health and well-being, including the international refugee crisis, natural disasters and climate change.