In early March, Palo Alto University sent a strong contingent of students, faculty, and staff to the 2020 American Psychology-Law Society Conference (AP-LS) in New Orleans. AP-LS is Division 41 of the American Psychological Association (APA). PAU participants in the conference presented important new research, embarked on a leadership program, and celebrated new and old collaborations.
At a reception on March 5th, PAU celebrated the launch of CONCEPT, the University’s new Division of Continuing and Professional Studies, at The Sheraton New Orleans Hotel. CONCEPT’s founder, Patricia Zapf, Ph.D., has a deep history with AP-LS, having served as President, on the Executive Committee, and in other key roles. Additionally, CONCEPT has sponsored continuing education credit for AP-LS sessions for the past 11 years and has highlighted the work of notable experts in forensic psychology.
The conference was the perfect platform to announce the university’s new division to conference attendees. Together, PAU and CONCEPT will provide expanded program offerings, including new certifications, premier group training programs (online and in-person), and enhanced forensic program certifications.
Additionally, AP-LS selected PAU associate professor Amanda Fanniff, Ph.D. to participate in the Embracing Leadership: Developing Skills for Your Career Evolution program. This is a year-long leadership development program designed to give AP-LS members practical training in leadership, including leadership opportunities within the Division.
"I have been a member of AP-LS for about 15 years and see it as one of my professional “homes.†I would like to become more involved in continuing AP-LS’s strong tradition of supporting education and research at the intersection of law and psychology, scientific integrity, dissemination of high-quality research evidence, and advocacy for evidence-based policies and practices," Fanniff said.
In addition to her role as an associate professor in the Ph.D. program at PAU, Fanniff is also the Chair of PAU's Institutional Review Board. Her research focuses on sexual violence in adolescent and emerging adult populations as well as and developmental and cultural considerations in forensic psychology.
Throughout the conference, nearly 20 PAU students, faculty, and staff presented or served on panels.
One team, spanning undergraduates, graduates, and faculty, presented “Smartphone App-based Culturally-Informed Suicide Risk Assessment and Communication by Police.†This research is but one example of PAU’s leadership in the intersecting fields of technology and psychology.
A graduate student and faculty member presented “Culture, Gender, and Sex: Experiences and Attitudes in a Sexually Diverse Sample of Latino Men,†an example of PAU’s commitment to serving communities traditionally underrepresented in psychology. Not coincidentally, the graduate student presenter, Florencia Iturri is a 2019 recipient of the Diversity Research Award from the Minority Affairs Committee of AP-LS.
A complete list of presentations, panels, and presenters can be read below. The 2020 AP-LS Conference was an opportunity for PAU to celebrate a new collaboration with CONCEPT, an historic relationship with the American Psychology-Law Society, deepen the University’s leadership capacity in the fields of psychology and law, and demonstrate the expertise and research of our students and faculty.