Eastern Regional Fall 2012 Letter
ANNOUNCEMENT: New Procedures to Submit for Psi Chi Research Awards at EPA
Students who wish their posters to be considered for a Psi Chi Research Award must submit to both the EPA website and the Psi Chi website. The two submission steps are:
- Submit to EPA at http://www.easternpsychological.org by joining EPA, logging in, and going to the Members Only page.
- Submit the same submission to Psi Chi at https://www.scholarselect.com/scholarships/5158-2012-2013-epa-regional-research-awards.
The deadline is November 8, 2012 for both EPA and Psi Chi submissions.
Dear Psi Chi Eastern Region chapter advisors and members:
Welcome to the 2012–13 academic year! The purpose of this letter is to thank chapter advisors for their outstanding professionalism in leading chapters and members to success during the past academic year. I look forward to working with you this year as you continue to exercise your competency and enthusiasm to strengthen your Psi Chi chapter and enhance the field of psychology.
In 2012–13, please keep your positive energy flowing by visiting the Psi Chi website (www.psichi.org) to learn about important opportunities in regards to membership, awards and grants, publications, and experiential learning. Just clicking into the Psi Chi website will afford Psi Chi chapter advisors and members with knowledge and opportunities to strengthen their chapter.
Annually, Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology provides outstanding opportunities for students to present their research at eastern regional conferences such as New England Psychological Association (NEPA) and the Eastern Psychological Association (EPA). Student members need to be aware of outstanding Psi Chi grant opportunities that support their research at these regional conferences and out of region conferences. These grant opportunities include the Regional Travel Grant for up to $400 (Deadline: January 15) and Unrestricted Travel Grants for up to $1,500 with deadline dates of December 5 (spring semester travel) and May 5 (summer travel). Please check the Psi Chi site under the awards and grants tab (or contact me at mmccormick2@pace.edu) for more information. I encourage Eastern Region Psi Chi chapters and members to apply for these grants.
Please share this additional opportunity with your chapter members. The Reproducibility Project: Open Science Collaboration is for Psi Chi International members to conduct collaborative research. The Science Collaboration is very interested to have Psi Chi members involved in this project, so please go to the Open Science Collaboration site for more information.
July 1 marked the beginning of my second year as the Eastern Regional Vice-President of Psi Chi. As your VP, I spent the last year mentoring students and supporting and encouraging chapter advisors to continue to motivate members toward academic excellence and to becoming future leaders in the field of psychology.
My 2011–12 VP experience enabled me to meet you—great Eastern Region chapter advisors and student members at NEPA 2011 (Fairfield, CT) and EPA 2012 (Pittsburgh, PA). I am pleased to have also met Psi Chi advisors and chapter members in the NYC–NJ metro area who invited me to speak at their induction ceremonies. These invitations included St. Peter's University (Jersey City, NJ), New York University (NYC), St. Francis College (Brooklyn, NY), Seton Hall University (South Orange, NJ), and Pace University (NYC).
I found it refreshing to see that at several Psi Chi induction ceremonies the tradition of ceremonial candles continue to be lit and students are honored to become members of Psi Chi. I applaud you—chapter advisors and your team of chapter officers—in your efforts to encourage Psi Chi membership and student development in the field of psychology. During my second year as Vice-President, I look forward to revisiting my connection with all the Eastern Region chapters.
October 13 marks the beginning of the 2012–13 Eastern Region Psi Chi conference programing at NEPA (www.nepa.cloverpad.org). This year the 2012 NEPA Psi Chi program invited speaker is Sharon Horne, PhD (University of Massachusetts at Boston), whose lecture will be “One World Over the Rainbow? The Grey, the Dull, and the Bright in Global LGBTQ Rights” on October 13 at 12:30–1:30 pm at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Room 115 of Salisbury Laboratories. Check out the entire Psi Chi program at www.nepa.cloverpad.org. The program grid is informative and pertinent with programs for chapter advisors and students that will expand their world-view of the field of psychology.
As 2013 approaches, please plan to attend the Eastern Psychological Conference (March 1–4) in NYC at the Marriot Marquis, Times Square. EPA 2013 President Debra Zellner’s conference theme is “Consuming Psychological Science.” Linda Bartoshuk (Bushnell Professor at the University of Florida and Director of Human Research for the University of Florida Center for Smell and Taste) will be kicking off the meeting on Friday night with me for the Psi Chi/EPA invited address entitled “Why Do We Like Some Foods and Hate Others? Can We Do Anything About It?” Psi Chi chapter advisors and students are invited to submit their work (symposium and poster) for presentation at the 84th annual meeting of EPA. Go to www.easternpsychological.org to learn more about registration, the EPA program, and submitting your work. The submission portal is open and will close November 1.
The Eastern Psychological Association of Graduate Students (EPAGS) will have a strong presence at EPA 2013. They are leading a strong membership drive to attract graduate students to their organization. EPAGS is also looking for volunteers to help at 2013 EPA in NYC. For more information, email epagsmembershipvolunteer@gmail.com.
As a Psi Chi member, if your research or interest fits with the EPA theme about Consuming Psychological Science please let me know by October 15 as you may be invited to participate in a special section of the EPA Psi Chi program.
At the recent 2012 August American Psychological Association (APA) convention in Orlando, Florida, a symposium was held that launched the initiative “Building Bridges Between Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology and APA Div. 52 International Psychology.” A report of this symposium will be published soon. Feedback about this initiative is welcome from Psi Chi Eastern Region chapters that include Eastern Region Psi Chi International chapters in Galway, Ireland and Cairo, Egypt.
In conclusion, I look forward to meeting you at 2012-13 Eastern Region Psi Chi events. I wish you an extra special academic year. Remember I am available to work with you to enhance your Psi Chi chapter. Please contact me at easternvp@psichi.org or mampsyyoga@aol.com. I look forward to our next conversation.
Best Regards,
Mercedes A. McCormick, PhD,LP
Psi Chi Eastern Regional Vice-President
Adjunct Associate Professor
Pace University (NY)
mmccormick2@pace.edu