Division 52 celebrates its 15th anniversary at home and abroad

The Division of International Psychology of the American Psychological Association (Division 52) celebrated its 15th anniversary this summer at the APA Convention in Orlando, Florida and at the International Congress of Psychology in Cape Town, South Africa. A series of events were planned to honor our heritage, acknowledge founding members and former presidents of the division, and to welcome newer members by recognizing all of their contributions to the field of international psychology. By reaching out in this way, our intention has been to illustrate how much we value all the members of our division family and their impressive successes in advancing our globally engaged discipline.

We were so pleased to begin this year with the publication of our new Division 52 journal, International Perspective in Psychology: Research, Consultation, Practice. Edited by Dr. Judith Gibbons, the initial three issues published to date reflect the realization of our vision for the journal to be a truly international publication. Together with Dr. Michael Stevens, Associate Editor, they have assembled an editorial board consisting of eminent scholars from 31 countries. The initial articles represent intriguing research and stimulating perspectives from several countries and continents, utilizing varied methods and investigating a wide range of topics and populations. The result has been a fascinating scholarly and highly diverse publication. Dr. Gibbons is particularly committed to facilitating the publication of authors from under-resourced countries whose work has not previously been published in APA journals. She welcomes manuscripts from these colleagues, and is developing a cadre of "editorial mentors" who can collaborate respectfully with them to address some of the impediments of language and style that commonly interfere with publication across cultures.

In anticipation of meeting at the APA Convention in Orlando, we designed a 15th anniversary survey of former division presidents to glean their wisdom with a view to enhancing our strategic planning. We met with them at a presidential breakfast to discuss the results of the survey, and they shared their insights and perspectives on the future of international psychology. One of our students, Ms. Kahaema Byer of the University of Miami, interviewed Dr. Florence Denmark, one of the founders of the division, regarding the early history of Division 52 and presented the results of their conversation at our division hospitality suite. The co-chair of our student committee, Ms. Laura Reid Marks of Purdue University, chaired a 15th anniversary "Meet and Greet an Eminent International Psychologist" for students and early career psychologists. They were very grateful to Drs. Maria del Pilar Grazioso and Lawrence Gerstein who graciously shared their own developmental trajectories and provided sage advice. Dr. Lynette Bikos organized a student research competition also in honor of the anniversary. She designated judges at our division poster session to review student research, and at a reception that followed in our hospitality suite, she provided recognitions for outstanding projects.

Our hospitality suite, organized by the Division 52 Program Committee, Drs. Mark Terjesen, Robyn Kurasaki and Senel Poyrazli, was a wonderful setting to highlight division members‘ accomplishments, to network with colleagues and to enjoy one another during our stays in Orlando. At our awards ceremony and social hour a series of honors were presented.

The Division 52 award recipients for 2012 were as follows:

Outstanding International Psychologist Award

• Fathali Moghaddam, PhD (Georgetown University)
• Michael Wessells, PhD (Columbia University)
• Kurt Pawlik, DPhil (University of Hamburg, Germany)

Henry David International Mentoring Award

• Brent S. Mallinckrodt, PhD (University of Tennessee)

International Student Research Awards

• Lauren C. Ng, MA (University of Southern California); Advisor: Beth Meyerowitz, PhD; Title: "Risk Pathways from 1994 Rwandan Tutsi Genocide Exposure to Distress and Traumatic Stress in Orphaned Heads of Household"
• Andrew Ogle (Colorado State University); Advisor: Silvia Canetto, PhD; Title: "Young Peruvians Perceptions of Suicide Precipitants"
• Mrinalini Rao, MS (University of Illinois); Advisor: Dorothy Espelage, PhD; Title: "Globalization and the 'Identity Remix' among Urban Adolescents in India"

Denmark—Reuder Award for Outstanding International Contributions to the Psychology of Women and Gender

• Judith L. Gibbons, PhD (St. Louis University)

Early Career Professional Award

• Virginia Kwan, PhD (Arizona State University)

Ursula Gielen Global Psychology Book Award

• Silencing the Self Across Cultures: Depression and Gender in the Social World (Oxford University Press, 2010)
  
  Editors:  Dana C. Jack, PhD (Western Washington University), Alisha Ali, PhD (New York University)

Honorable Mention:

• Handbook of Cultural Developmental Science (Taylor & Francis, 2010)
  
  Editors: Marc H. Bornstein, PhD (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)

Division 52 also welcomed new Division Fellows in 2012:

• Jean Lau Chin, PhD, ABPP (Adelphi University)
• Mercedes A. McCormick, PhD (Pace University)
• James C. Overholser, PhD, ABPP (Case Western Reserve University)
• Bruce Svare, PhD (State University of New York at Albany)
• Thomas Teo, PhD (York University)

and new Fellows to both APA and Division 52:

• Rafael Art Javier, PhD, ABPP (Saint John‘s University)
• Abigail M. Harris, PhD (Fordham University)
• Nan M. Sussman, PhD (College of Staten Island, CUNY)

Finally, Division 52 members were actively involved in the XXXth International Congress of Psychology (ICP) in Cape Town, South Africa. Members presented papers on a wide array of topics related to the conference theme, "Psychology Serving Humanity." Organized by the Psychological Society of South Africa under the auspices of the International Union of Psychological Science (IUPsyS), the Congress meets every fourth year and for the first time since its inaugural meeting in Paris in 1889, ICP was held on the African continent. Having the opportunity to collaborate with our Southern African colleagues, as well as psychologists from across the globe, resulted in edifying scientific and professional exchanges. We celebrated our 15th anniversary with over 35 members from around the world at a dinner at Café Africa in Cape Town. Division members related compelling intellectual, social and cultural experiences while sharing travel and cross-cultural adventures from the Okavango Delta in northern Botswana to the tip of the African continent at Cape Horn, South Africa.

Overall, it was an historic meeting for ICP during an historic anniversary year for Division 52. Inspired by the exhilaration of our once in a lifetime moments in Africa, we celebrated our rich history as we anticipated a vibrant future for Division 52—at home and abroad.