Dear Fellow Psi Chi Members, Chapter Officers, and Faculty Advisors,
Welcome back to another exciting year for Psi Chi. Congratulations to our newly inducted members of Psi Chi and to the new chapters in the region. We are glad to have you and welcome your input and suggestions.
I’d like to start by congratulating the award winners from the Western region this past year. While there were many qualified presentations considered for
Regional Research Awards at the regional meeting of the Western Psychological Association (WPA), which was held in Palm Springs, California in April, several projects were selected to receive awards. The ten award winners in the Western Region included (in alphabetical order):
Christina Buelna, San Diego State University (CA);
Stephanie Cox, University of San Diego (CA);
Cindy Kim, University of Washington;
Kristina Lopez, California State University, Northridge;
Erin Schoenfelder, Santa Clara University (CA);
Charissa Silva, California State University, Los Angeles;
Samantha Spilka, San Diego State University;
Haley Stapleton, George Fox University (OR);
Jorge Urbina, San Diego State University; and
Trisha Vinatieri, University of San Diego. The
Psi Chi/Regional Faculty Advisor Award was awarded to
Dr. Ngoc Bui of the University of La Verne (CA). My sincere congratulations to all of you!
Although these awards reflect active involvement in Psi Chi by chapters and members in the region, I would like to encourage further involvement. It is not too late to apply for some upcoming awards. For example, several awards have an
October 1 deadline including the
Graduate Research Awards,
SuperLab Research Grants, and
Thelma Hunt Research Grants. Other awards carry a
December 1 deadline (
National Convention Research Awards,
Denmark National Faculty Advisor Award,
Regional Faculty Advisor Award), and others have deadlines of
February 1 (
FBI NCAVC Internship Grant,
Bandura Graduate Research Award,
Newman Graduate Research Award,
Cousins National Chapter Award,
Website Awards). Additionally many awards have
spring deadlines (
NSF/REU Grants,
Summer Research Grants), and a
May 1 deadline (
Guildford Undergraduate Research Awards,
Allyn & Bacon Psychology Awards,
Erlbaum Awards in Cognitive Science,
Kay Wilson Leadership Award). Please visit
www.psichi.org/awards for a detailed list of awards, grants, and deadlines.
Please make special note that the Psi Chi Western Regional Research Awards have a deadline of November 15, coinciding with the WPA deadlines (more information below). Details on these awards are enclosed with this letter.
As you can see there are many opportunities for you to get involved and be rewarded!
Psi Chi again played an active role in both regional and national conferences last year.
Psi Chi events at the 2006 WPA meeting were well attended. The Psi Chi invited address was presented by
Dr. Diane Halpern, Claremont McKenna College (CA). She delivered an address on “Positive Retirement: It's a Whole New Phase in the Life Span." Psi Chi again joined the
Council of Undergraduate Psychology Programs (CUPP) in a joint symposium on “Ethics.” Additionally, the
Psi Chi Symposium on “Preparing for Graduate School” was well attended. Speakers included
Dr. Ngoc Bui, University of La Verne;
Dr. Deana Julka, University of Portland (OR);
Dr. Andrew Downs, Central Washington University;
George M. Slavich, University of Oregon; and
Dr. Chris Koch, George Fox University. Psi Chi also held a
Psi Chi Poster Session highlighting the work of our outstanding graduate and undergraduate students, a
Faculty Appreciation Breakfast, a
Graduate School Exchange session and a
Chapter Exchange.Plans are currently underway for Psi Chi contributions to the
2007 regional meeting of WPA, which will convene May 3-6, 2007, at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Be sure to get your passports ready! The Terman Teaching Conference will be held May 2, 2007, at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver.
Preregistration for these events ends on March 30, 2007. The submission deadline is November 15, 2006, and can be entered at
www.westernpsych.org.
Based on positive feedback to many of the Psi Chi offerings at WPA, the program will again include a graduate school symposium and exchange. We will also again hold a Psi Chi
faculty advisor appreciation breakfast. Space will be limited for this luncheon so be on the lookout for future notifications. We also expect to have a Psi Chi poster session and a cosponsored session with CUPP.
An exciting new development for Psi Chi is the start of a National Leadership Conference (NLC). One benefit of being a Psi Chi member is the opportunity to develop your leadership skills. The NLC will be held January 5–7, 2007, at the Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter NW in Atlanta, Georgia. The
registration deadline is October 1, 2006, and more information is available at
www.psichi.org/nlc. We hope you can join us!
As a final reminder, please have your chapters consider involvement in any or all of
Psi Chi's National Service Projects. In the past, for example, Psi Chi chapters reported success with Adopt-A-Shelter projects within their communities, Habitat for Humanity, UNICEF, and the Archives of the History of American Psychology. Further information on all of these projects can be found at
www.psichi.org/chapters/serviceprojects.asp.
I look forward to meeting many of you at upcoming events. Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions concerning Psi Chi opportunities or events.
Sincerely,
Deana L. Julka, Ph.D.
Psi Chi Western Regional Vice-President
Department of Psychology
University of Portland
5000 N. Willamette Blvd.
Portland, OR 97203
Telephone: (503) 943-7260
Fax: (503) 943-7802
Email:
julka@up.eduenc:
Information for the Psi Chi Regional Research Awards