Association for Behavior Analysis International

Obtaining grant funding can provide opportunities to conduct meaningful research, facilitate collaborations with researchers in other fields, and may be pivotal for academic tenure. Due to the breadth of the areas in which behavior analysts conduct research, opportunities for funding abound. Behavior analytic training, however, may not include grant writing and development, and even behavior analysts who learn about such topics may have questions as they consider writing their first grant. This Professional Development Series panel will introduce attendees to the grant world and provide general recommendations for those interested in seeking grant funding. Three expert panelists will discuss how they have successfully navigated the grant world as behavior analysts. They will provide insight from their diverse perspectives across the basic to applied research continuum. These panelists will provide tips and recommendations from their unique experiences as behavior analysts in the grant world. The audience will then have an opportunity to ask their own questions and request advice from the panelists.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) has been implemented most often in the field of developmental disabilities and autism spectrum disorders, but there are several other areas that would greatly benefit from research and practice in ABA. The purpose of this panel discussion is to provide insight into pioneering ABA outside of autism treatment and research. The speakers within this panel will provide information on the need for conceptual training in university programs, and how to venture into other fields and make a significant impact in new areas. The panel will conclude with an opportunity for audience members to ask questions regarding topics related to ABA outside of autism.

The philosophy of the science of behavior serves as the foundation for the technical and applied house of behavior analysis. As illustrated by B. F. Skinner, Radical Behaviorism offers an elegant account of both public and private behavior in terms of the functional relationship between environmental events and behavior. Radical Behaviorism offers a set of philosophical assumptions that help to guide the scientist and the applied work being used in the field. This PDS event will focus on three of the philosophical assumptions of Radical Behaviorism, and their importance for researchers and practitioners. The presenters for this panel will be Jay Moore, Mitch J. Fryling, and David C. Palmer. All three presenters have published research and essays that have contributed to the precision and scope of the core tenets of applied behavior analysis, offering invaluable insights into the relationship between philosophy and practice. As the field of applied behavior analysis disseminates into new avenues of research and practice, a continued dialogue on these theoretical underpinnings is important to help ensure consistency between science and practice.

The ongoing collaboration and coordination of research between the experimental and applied communities of behavior analysis is essential to the advancement of the science of behavior (Mace & Critchfield, 2010). Involvement of young researchers is vital to the maintenance and future development of translational work within the field. The panelists for this professional development panel is made up of established researchers in the field of behavior analysis whose research efforts span the basic to applied continuum. Panelists will provide examples of research they are conducting and review the current state of translational research in our field. In addition, they will identify potential barriers to establishing and maintaining collaborative relationships between basic and applied researchers. Panelists will also provide the audience with recommendations for the future directions of translational research and suggestions for how to incorporate basic research into applied settings. The audience will have the opportunity to learn about translational work and how researchers can pursue and further the field of translational research.

Over the last twenty years the field of behavior analysis has witnessed unprecedented growth in the number of female authors, clinicians and researchers (Nosik & Grow, 2015). Yet, since 1999 the ratio of male to female presidents of ABAI has been roughly 2:1. Furthermore, according to a 2014 American Psychological Association Workforce Study, males are still more likely to acquire the rank of Full Professorship within university Psychology Departments than are their female counterparts. This panel will bring together prominent women leaders in behavioral science to discuss issues related to leadership. Recent trends in the number of females involved in research, practice and teaching will be discussed. Special attention will be paid to the topics of mentorship, legacy and the unique challenges and opportunities that come with being a female scientist. The conversation will conclude with a discussion regarding future directions and tips for fostering strong female leaders within behavioral science.