Conferences Organized by NADD Members
Race in America: Restructuring Inequality
The Race in America: Restructuring Inequality national conference was held on June 3-5, 2010 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Under the leadership of Dean Larry Davis, the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work and its Center on Race and Social Problems hosted the conference, a solution-focused dialogue on race and how it relates to every facet of society—from the economy, to families, to the criminal justice system.
Keynote speakers were Julian Bond, chairman of the National Board of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and Julianne Malveaux, president of Bennett College for Women.
Alex Castellanos, partner, National Media, Inc. and a CNN guest commentator moderated the panel discussion, “Post-racial America—Does It and Should It Exist?” Panelists were Abigail Thernstrom, adjunct scholar, American Enterprise Institute, and vice chair, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights; Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, professor of sociology, Duke University; Ben Jealous, president and CEO, NAACP; and Tony Norman, columnist, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
The conference program featured sessions on topics such as economic disparities among the races, the quality of health service for minorities, and promoting harmony among racial groups.
6th World Congress of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy
The 6th World Congress of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy was held on June 2-5, 2010 at the Boston University campus. The BU School of Social Work and Department of Psychology hosted over 2300 international delegates from 54 countries for this international conference on cognitive and behavior therapies which occurs every 3 years. Organizers were Dr. Gail Steketee, Dean and Professor at the BU School of Social Work; Dr. Michael Otto, Professor, BU Department of Psychology; Dr. Sabine Wilhelm, Massachusetts General Hospital Psychiatry Department; and Dr. Stefan Hofmann, Professor, BU Department of Psychology.
The Scientific Program included 12 full day pre-Congress workshops on the first day of the conference. The remaining three days included 16 concurrent juried sessions—symposia, open papers, panel sessions, posters, clinical workshops, and invited addresses. These were grouped by the following topic areas: children and family CBT interventions, anxiety and mood disorders, trauma, eating disorders, serious mental illness, addictive disorders, developmental disabilities, personality disorders and challenging behaviors, aging, diversity, behavioral medicine, professional issues, and therapy context and process. The program was considered outstanding by delegates who appreciated the broad international flavor of the scientific presentations and discussions.
The social program included a Welcome Ceremony that showcased an opening address by Dr. David Barlow, a world renowned behavioral and cognitive therapy anxiety researcher, followed by Boston-area national and international award-winning music and dance (fife and drum re-enactors, Irish dance, Argentine tango, and a hip hop dance crew). Other social events included a DJ party and Boston Harbor dinner cruise. Delegates enjoyed bed and breakfast accommodations at BU’s deluxe Student Village high-rise suites, or stayed in area hotels.
The next World Congress of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy will be held in 2013 in Lima, Peru.