E-News April 2025
Update from Prof. Lori Foster - IAAP President
President's Message
Dear IAAP Members,
Today is April 22, the 55th Earth Day. That timing gave me an idea. Instead of opening this edition of the eNews myself, I’ve asked an old friend to do it for me. You’ll find the message just below.
Warm regards,
Lori Foster
President, International Association of Applied Psychology
A Message From Earth
Dear IAAP,
Some people call me Earth. Others say Planet Earth, Nature, or even Mother Nature. Whatever name you use, I wanted to reach out on this 55th Earth Day.
I don’t speak up very often. Usually I let the forests, oceans, and shifting weather carry the message. But this seemed like a good time to say thank you, and ask for your help.
The signs are hard to miss. Temperatures rising. Coastlines shifting. Transport systems straining under pressure. Health systems challenged by pollution, heat, and displacement. In many ways, the issues I face are deeply human ones. That means psychology has an important role to play.
I’ve been paying attention, and I see that IAAP and its members are showing up. Your divisions are raising important questions, sharing knowledge, and finding ways to connect across areas of psychology. I especially appreciated the webinar on Towards Sustainable Transport Choices last October, hosted by the Division of Economic Psychology and the Division of Traffic and Transportation Psychology, as well as the joint session Healthy Environment, Healthy People: Bridging Environmental and Health Psychology in November, led by the Divisions of Environmental and Health Psychology along with the European Health Psychology Society’s Special Interest Group on Equity, Global Health, and Sustainability. These are just two examples, but they show what is possible when people work together.
I know your strategic plan emphasizes global influence, and I see that happening. I see it in the way you bring psychology into UN conversations, and in the commitment to collaboration instead of silos. I also noticed the theme for ICAP 2026 in Florence, New Directions in Applied Psychology. I liked what I saw—a focus on transdisciplinary approaches and sustainable development. Keep going.
I know you’re doing a lot, yet I want to ask for more. And at the risk of sounding too demanding, I’ll leave each IAAP member with a small request. Pick something. A habit, a conversation, a study, a collaboration. Make it more sustainable. Make it more inclusive. Make it count.
I’ll be here, listening.
Sincerely,
Earth
Division News
IAAP’s divisions continue to contribute to global conversations and action across diverse areas of applied psychology. Below are just a few recent highlights.
Division 1: Work and Organizational Psychology
Division 1 is pleased to present the progress report for the international project This Works in My Place! African Edition. The report highlights the unique contextual factors across the region and offers valuable insights into how these elements support or challenge the realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Africa.
Read the progress report HERE
Division 4: Environmental Psychology
Members of Division 4 are actively engaged in preparations for the 2025 International Conference on Environmental Psychology, which will take place in Vilnius, Lithuania from 15 to 18 June 2025. The conference will explore the intersection of psychology, sustainability, and climate adaptation—core themes that align with the SDGs and IAAP’s global mission.
Division 13: Traffic and Transportation Psychology
Division 13 leaders and members are contributing to the upcoming International Conference on Traffic and Transport Psychology, to be held in Curitiba, Brazil from 9 to 11 July 2025. With a focus on sustainable mobility and the SDGs, the event will showcase psychology’s role in shaping safer, more equitable, and environmentally conscious transport systems.
EARLY CAREER MARATHON
In the March eNews, we announced the top award winners from IAAP’s fourth edition of the Early Career Marathon. This month, we’re pleased to highlight the outstanding contributions of our runner-up winners.
Debora Shambo-Rodriguez - Exploring Digital Interventions for Mental Health Support in Colombian Youth: A Mixed-Methods Feasibility Study
Kim Crown - Hearing ED’s voice: A Qualitative Analysis of the Eating Disorder Voice (EDV) Lived Experience
Sophia Wingen - Checkout-free Shopping Diminishes Price Recall
Their work stood out for its exceptional quality and relevance. Congratulations!
In case you missed IAAP's 24-hour event featuring the research of our student and early-career psychologists, all of the presentations, including the keynotes, are available to view online HERE.
APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY AROUND THE WORLD (APAW)
The next issue of Applied Psychology Around the World (APAW) is just around the corner. It takes a closer look at the Early Career Marathon, featuring reflections on the event, award winning abstracts, and contributions from student and early career psychologists across the globe.
Keep an eye out for the release, and be sure to explore it on our new online platform, which includes a text-to-talk feature and other enhancements.
UNITED NATIONS NEWS
IAAP President Appointed Chair of WHO Advisory Group on Behavioural Sciences
The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the new membership of its Technical Advisory Group on Behavioural Sciences for Better Health. IAAP President Lori Foster has been appointed Chair of the group, which brings together global experts to advise WHO on integrating behavioural science into public health policies and practice. Dr. Om Prasad Gautam will serve as Vice-Chairperson.
This appointment highlights IAAP’s continued engagement with the United Nations system and its commitment to using psychology to advance global health and sustainable development.
More information, including the full membership list and biographies, is available on the WHO website:
WHO News Announcement
Technical Advisory Group Membership
Psychology Day at the United Nations
We invite you to attend the 18th Annual Psychology Day at the United Nations on April 24, 2025. The event will be held virtually, via Zoom, from 11:00 AM ET - 2:00 PM ET. This year’s theme, From Crisis to Growth: Psychological Contributions to Building Global Resilience emphasizes the essential role of psychological science in tackling global challenges and fostering well-being worldwide.
The program will explore four key areas where psychology is making a meaningful impact:
- Climate Change and Sustainability: Harnessing psychology for climate action and community resilience
- Peace and Security: Promoting healing, conflict resolution, and peaceful societies
- Artificial Intelligence and Technology: Exploring ethical and psychological implications of emerging technologies
- Silenced Voices: Amplifying marginalized perspectives and fostering inclusive dialogue
Register HERE.
INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY (ICAP)
The Opening Keynotes at ICAP 2026 will feature top experts in the field! They will be unveiling groundbreaking insights into Applied Psychology. Find out who, below!
Professor Cass R. Sunstein, PhD
Professor Sir Cary Cooper, CBE, PhD
Professor Kazuhiko Takeuchi, PhD
The call for abstracts for ICAP 2026 is open! The theme of the Congress is: New Directions in Applied Psychology. We invite authors to submit their abstracts for oral presentations, poster presentations and symposia. Learn more and submit your abstract HERE.
Don't forget to follow along on social media and stay connected on all Congress updates using the ICAP 2026 page links below!
ICAP Facebook
ICAP Instagram
ICAP LinkedIn
ADVANCED RESEARCH TRAINING SEMINAR (ARTS)
The Call for Team Members is now open!
The Advanced Research Training Seminar (ARTS) is seeking 24 to 30 dedicated students with a strong interest and background in research (Master’s level or higher preferred) to join our dynamic teams for ARTS 2026. This is a unique opportunity to collaborate on one of six innovative research projects supported by ARTS 2026. Full details on the six projects are available on our website.
If you’re eager to contribute to cutting-edge psychology research, we encourage you to consider participating. Click HERE for more information, including the online application link.
INTERNATIONAL UNION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE (IUPsyS): UPCOMING WEBINAR
You are invited to the following webinar, Regional Psychological Organisations: Imperatives for Transforming the Disaster Mental Health Landscape, which will take place on April 30, 2025, from 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM ET.
Register HERE.
IAAP's SECOND QUARTERLY CROSSWORD PUZZLE
This year, we introduced IAAP’s first-ever Quarterly Crossword Puzzle - a fun way to engage with IAAP and applied psychology.
We are excited to announce that Natasha Loi has emerged as the winner of the Quarter One challenge! Her impressive problem-solving skills resulted in a well-earned victory! Please join us in congratulating Natasha!
A huge thank you to everyone who participated, if you didn't win this time, don’t worry—Quarter Two edition will be released soon!
Curious to know the answers to the Quarter One edition? Look no further, access the answers HERE!
Engage, Share, & Celebrate
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Webinar Proposals
Division and Task Force leaders, this is your opportunity to engage with members, share valuable insights, and foster dialogue on topics of interest. Submit your proposals for webinars here and contribute to the ongoing professional dialogue within IAAP.