2010-11 Events and Colloquia
The Department of Psychology at Western Michigan University hosts presentations each year.
"Life as an HPT Consultant"
Lisa Toenniges Chief Executive Officer
Innovative Learning Group
March 18, 2011
You have a degree. Now what? Toenniges will provide insight on what it takes to go from being a student to making a living as an HPT and ISD professional. You’ll hear pros and cons of consultant life as well as the skills and characteristics you need to successfully navigate the role. From creating a plan and managing projects to marketing your services, selling work, and proposing and pricing projects, a lot of time, consideration and planning goes into the business side of HPT. She will give you the tips needed to move beyond the academics of HPT and get on path for what can be a rewarding consulting career.
"Putting the Pieces Together: Students with the Community to Build a Brighter Future"
Jessica Frieder, Ph.D., BCBA-D Assistant Professor Armstrong Atlantic State University
Savannah, GA
March 14, 2011
Dr. Jessica Freider is a candidate for an assistant professor faculty position in behavior analysis, with specialization in autism spectrum disorders. Freider has a master’s degree from Ohio State University and a doctoral degree from Utah State University. The 2008 recipient of the Sid and Janet Bijou Fellowship for the study of child development from a behavior analytic perspective, Freider has published articles on the management of problem behaviors and training of language and social skills for children with developmental disabilities.
"Marc Weeden, Behavior Analyst: Past, Present and Future"
Marc Weeden, Ph.D., BCBA, Postdoctoral Researcher
Juniper Gardens Children's Project, University of Kansas
March 7, 2011
Dr. Marc Weeden earned his masters degree in psychology at the Florida Institute of Technology (Dr. Eb Blakely, advisor) and subsequently earned his doctoral degree in behavior analysis from Western Michigan University (Dr. Al Poling, advisor). He has published on a range of topics involving persons with developmental disabilities including the use of psychotropic medications for behavior management. In addition, he has taught college level courses in behavior analysis and supervised practicum students in community based service settings. Weeden was honored with an All University Graduate Research and Creative Scholar Award from WMU.
"Intraverbal Training for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder"
Einar Ingvarsson, Ph.D., BCBA
Department of Behavior Analysis, University of North Texas
Feb. 14, 2011
Ingvarsson, a native of Iceland, Ingvarsson completed a master,s degree in behavior analysis at the University of North Texas and his Ph.D. at the University of Kansas. After completing a post-doctoral internship at Johns Hopkins University, he worked as an assistant professor of psychology at Youngstown State University and as a research scientist and program director for autism services at North Texas State University. He has published a number of articles on language training and behavioral interventions for children diagnosed with autism and other disabilities.
Shaping Graduate Students' Research and Practitioner Skills in Autism Service Delivery
David Bicard, Ph.D., BCBA
Program Manager for Neurobehavioral Services,
Our Lady of Peace Hospital, Louisville, KY
February 11, 2011
Dr. David Bicard is a candidate for a faculty position in behavior analysis, with specialization in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Bicard grew up in southwest Michigan and attended Western Michigan University as an undergraduate in secondary education before earning a master's degree from Teachers College, New York and eventually a Ph.D. in special education/applied behavior analysis from Ohio State University. He served five years as a faculty member in Instruction and Curriculum Leadership at the University of Memphis. He has published extensively on behavioral approaches to developmental disabilities and ADHD as well as the use of technology in behavioral interventions.
"A Practitioner Model for Undergraduate and Graduate Training in Autism"
Dr. Dick Malott, Ph.D., BCBA
WMU
Jan. 21, 2011
A practitioner/service-provider manifesto/creed: We must train more students to become basic researchers. We must train more students to become applied researchers. But our journals and books are already full of evidence-based best practices, yet we are without enough practitioners to significantly impact the wellbeing of humanity by implementing those best practices. So even more importantly, we must produce more well trained practitioners. Furthermore, our practitioner theses and dissertations:
- Must really help the participating children.
- Must help the participating classroom or setting.
- Must help the student become a better practitioner.
- Must get the student a degree.
- May include publication, but is not crucial.
This presentation will illustrate an attempt to follow our manifesto/creed.
"On the Interpretation of Generalized Operants"
Dr. David Palmer
Smith College
November 19, 2010
With bachelor’s degrees in geology and English, Dr. Dave Palmer was devoting his post-graduate years to avoiding the draft when he chanced to pick up a copy of Walden Two from a friend’s bookshelf. It changed the direction of his life. He promptly read the rest of the Skinner canon and spent the next decade trying to start an experimental community and preaching radical behaviorism to anyone who would listen. Eventually he took some classes with Beth Sulzer-Azaroff, who urged him to apply to graduate school. Thanks to a dyslexic secretary who entered his undergraduate GPA backwards, he was admitted, and began working with John Donahoe. He was happy in graduate school and would be there still if the University of Massachusetts had not threatened to change the locks. He has spent the last 21 years as the token behaviorist at Smith College. During that time he co-authored, with Donahoe, Learning and Complex Behavior. He continues to puzzle over the interpretation of memory, problem-solving, and, particularly, verbal behavior.
“All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Psych 150”
Dr. William Heward, WMU 2010 Outstanding Psychology Alumnus Award
Ohio State University
Oct. 1, 2010
Dr. Bill Heward (B.A. Psychology and Sociology, 1971, WMU) is professor emeritus at Ohio State University. Heward is the author of numerous articles and chapters that focus on the education and treatment of individuals with disabilities. He is also the author of two highly influential textbooks, Applied Behavior Analysis and Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Education. Additionally, he recently completed a term as president of the Association for Behavior Analysis, International.