Newsletter
Volume 31 | 2008 | Number 2
Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis
By Dr. Janet Twyman, SABA President
Janet Twyman
Yes, this is the annual column asking you to support The Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis (SABA), which in turn provides financial support for the field of behavior analysis. Read on to learn more about why SABA's mission is essential. Please visit the SABA Web site at http://www.abainternational.org/saba/index.asp for more information.
SABA was chartered in 1980 as a 501(c)3, non-profit organization devoted to the welfare and future of behavior analysis. It is the only organization whose specific mission is to develop and enhance behavior analysis; in this way it can be seen as our only organization dedicated to behavior analysis for the sake of behavior analysis.
SABA secures and administers private funds in support of the field. It accepts tax-deductible donations and distributes those donations through grants and fellowships, and helps ensure the future of the field through the sponsorship of student presenters at ABA International's annual convention. The convention is also a forum used by SABA to recognize leaders in behavior analysis at an annual awards ceremony and thank its contributors at a reception the first night of the convention.
The opening event at the ABA International Annual Convention is the SABA Awards Ceremony. It is a public opportunity for SABA to recognize leaders in our field, and with each awardee presenting an overview of his or her work it is one of the most highly attended events of the convention. The event is a warm celebration of what’s best in behavior analysis and a collective opportunity to honor awardees for their work in and commitment to behavior analysis. Past awardees include:
Distinguished Service to Behavior Analysis: Dr. Edmund J. Fantino (2008), Dr. Teodoro Ayllon (2007), Dr. James Dinsmoor, posthumously, (2006), Dr. Jon Bailey (2005), Dr. Beth Sulzer-Azaroff (2004), Dr. Victor Laties (2003), Dr. Jack Michael (2002), Dr. Murray Sidman (2001), Dr. Sidney Bijou (2000), Dr. Ogden Lindsley (1999), Dr. Montrose Wolf (1998), and Dr. Donald Baer (1997). Winners under the ABA Award Committee: Dr. Joseph Brady (1996), Dr. Victor Laties, and Dr. Philip Hineline (1994).
International Dissemination of Behavior Analysis: Dr. Linda J. Hayes (2008), Dr. Eitan Eldar (2007), Dr. Joseph Morrow (2006), Dr. R. Douglas Greer (2005), Dr. Michael Davison (2004), Dr. Maria Malott (2003), Dr. Paolo Moderato (2002), Dr. Carolina Bori (2001), Dr. Liliana Mayo (2000), Comunidad los Horcones (1999), Dr. Emilio Ribes-Inesta (1998), and Dr. Masayo Sato (1997). Winner under the ABA Award Committee: Dr. Murray Sidman (1996).
Public Service in Behavior Analysis: Dr. Michael Keenan (2008), Dr. Henry Pennypacker (2007), Dr. Robert Horner (2006), Dr. Robert Mager (2005), Mr. Michael Hemingway (2004), Dr. Douglas Carnine (2003), Dr. Richard Malott (2002), Dr. Kent Johnson (2001), Dr. Charles Schuster (2000), Dr. Gerald Shook (1999), and Dr. Aubrey Daniels (1997). Previous winners under the ABA Award Committee: Dr. Brian Iwata (1996), Dr. Gina Green (1995), and Dr. John Jacobson (1994).
Impact of Science of Application: Dr. Murray Sidman (2008), Dr. Steven Hayes (2007), Dr. Nathan Azrin (2006), Dr. Howard Rachlin (2005), and Dr. Tony Nevin (2004).
Enduring Programmatic Contributions to Behavior Analysis: Kennedy Krieger Institute (2008), The May Institute (2007), Behavior Analysis and Therapy Program of Southern Illinois University (2006), The New England Center for Children (2005), West Virginia University Department of Psychology (2004), Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (2003), University of Florida (2002), Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s Behavior Technology Group (2001), University of Kansas (2000), Princeton Child Development Institute (1999), and the Department of Psychology at Western Michigan University (1998).
Effective Presentation of Behavior Analysis in the Mass Media: Ms. Amy Sutherland (2008), Dr. James M. Kauffman (2006), Dr. Ivar Lovaas (2004), Dr. Richard Foxx (2003), John Palfreman (2002), Dr. Roger McIntire (2001), Dr. James Partington (2000), Dr. Scott Geller (1998), and Karen Pryor (1997). When the Association for Behavior Analysis International administered the awards, recipients included: Catherine Maurice (1996), Dr. Gary Wilkes (1995), and Dr. Paul Chance (1994).
Please join us at the Phoenix Convention Center in May when the 2009 SABA Awards will be presented.
Let SABA know whom you think should be honored in 2009. Recommendations for SABA awards are made by ABA International members and reviewed and voted on by the SABA Board of Directors. All ABA International members are strongly encouraged to make recommendations (and of course provide the rationale for the recommendation) for any or all of the SABA awards. See www.abainternational.org/saba/awards.asp for award guidelines. Recommendations can be made at any time, and watch your inbox for e-mails forewarning of annual nomination deadlines.
To support new research and beginning researchers, SABA provides annual grants to support experimentation in and the development of behavior analysis. SABA has awarded thousands of dollars each year for the past several years, with $17,000 in grants given out in 2008 and $20,000 planned for distribution in 2009. The following grants, based mostly on endowments, are given annually:
- The Experimental Fellowship. This fund provides financial support for students doing research in the experimental analysis of behavior. Eight students have received a total $19,000 since its inception in 2002. Our 2009 awardees of grants of $2,000 each are Amanda Calvert, University of Washington and Carla Lagorio, University of Florida.
- The Sidney W. & Janet R. Bijou Fellowship. The Sidney W. and Janet R. Bijou Fellowship Fund is the result of generous donations by the Bijous. The fund provides grant support for students doing research in child development. Since 1998, 17 students have been awarded $86,500 from the Sidney W. and Janet R. Bijou Fellowship. Our 2009 awardees of grants of $5,000 each are Jessica Frieder from Idaho State University and Sarah Kupzyk from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
- The International Development Grant. This fund was started to ensure ongoing support for the international development of behavior analysis. Since 1999, there have been 25 International Development Grant Recipients receiving $29,000 in support. Our 2009 awardee of a $3,000 grant is the not-for-profit organization, PEER International, which works to bring effective instructional practices and behavior analysis to students and teachers in township schools in South Africa.
- The Student Registration Grant. SABA provides complimentary registration for qualifying students who are presenting authors during ABA International events. This fund is widely supported by donations from the ABA International members, with over 150 members supporting almost 200 students. Since 1996 the SABA Student Presenters Fund has provided a total of $76,005 in registration grants to around 1,500 student presenters. Figure 1 shows SABA’s continued support of student presenters.
SABA continues to increase and diversify the types of grants it provides. Beginning in 2009, SABA will offer annual Doctoral Dissertation and Master’s Thesis Research Grants to support two student theses projects in the amount of $500 each and two student dissertation projects in the amount of $1,000 each. Look for eligibility and applications information on these new grants, and all SABA grants at www.abainternational.org/saba/gf.asp. We encourage all eligible ABA International members to apply so that SABA may support your outstanding work.
Another exciting development is SABA’s support of the Don Hake Basic/Applied Research Award presented annually by the American Psychological Association Division 25: Behavior Analysis. With SABA’s annual support of this award, it is now the Association for Behavior Analysis International’s Don Hake Basic/Applied Research Award.
To support its grant efforts, SABA has raised (and continues to raise) funds for three endowments:
- Doctoral Dissertation and Master’s Thesis Research. To foster long-term development of Doctoral dissertation and Master’s thesis research in behavior analysis, ABA International has generously agreed to support the $3,000 annual amount awarded in this grant until the endowment reaches as self-sustaining status, which SABA’s financial advisors tell us is at least $100,000 for modest annual awards. We need your support to meet this goal (and of course a larger endowment means larger awards). Look for a fundraising drive in specific support of this endowment, to begin in December 2008.
- Student Presenters Fund. All donations to this fund are given out within the year of the donation. We need your support to keep this fund replenished so SABA may continue to support student participation at ABA International events. Please consider joining hundreds of your behavioral colleagues by making a tax-deductible donation to this fund.
- Unrestricted Fund. Donations to this fund are “unrestricted” and not designated for a single specific purpose. The SABA Board of Directors determines how the unrestricted funds should be allocated (sometimes to support a restricted fund) and what activities unrestricted funds should support.
The potential of SABA, ABA International, and behavior analysis relies upon your financial support. SABA is small, private, non-profit organization, existing solely for the benefit of behavior analysis and is directly accountable to the behavioral community through its permanent connection with ABA International's Executive Council. For information on SABA programs and funds, and on how you can make a donation to help preserve behavior analysis, go to: http://www.abainternational.org/saba/donations.asp