The 2025 SPSSI Graduate Student Committee Preconference Workshop:

Study (In)Action: Psychology’s duty to Public Policy

www.spssi.org/2025gscpreconference

Thursday, June 26, 2025
Hilton Portland Downtown
Room TBA

Students - $45  |  Non-Students - $65

The SPSSI Graduate Student Committee Preconference will take place on June 26, 2025, immediately preceding the SPSSI Summer Conference, which begins on Friday, June 27 and ends on Sunday, June 29, 2025. Typically, the preconference breakfast begins at 8:30 am and the programming begins at 9:00 am. Programming typically ends by 4 pm, and will be immediately followed by a happy hour event for all preconference attendees. Breakfast and lunch are included as part of the programming and are reflected in the registration fee. 

In this time of turmoil and the daily encroachment of our civil liberties, our preconference is looking at ways to step outside the ivory tower to enact change. Historically, psychology has been at the forefront of public policy. Research has been used to justify policies that have helped and harmed the most vulnerable of society, such as the treatment of the intellectually disabled or the pathologizing of homosexuality (Ilyes, 2020). At this time, psychology must work as an “ally, advocate, and activist” (Melton, 2018) to move social justice forward and ensure the well-being of all. This year's focus and pre-conference theme is “Study (In)Action: Psychology’s Duty to Public Policy.” Our preconference features events focused on ways to expand the impact of research outside of academia and how to become further involved with policy work. Our pre-conference includes a workshop on scientific communication, a presentation on how to get involved in policy advocacy by Dr. Apryl Alexander, and a panel of psychologists who have worked with mutual aid groups (tentative).?

The program is subject to change and will continue to be updated as more details are confirmed. 

 Questions? Please contact SPSSI Graduate Student Committee Chair, Leslie Vernon-Dunnigan.