Celebrating 50 Years of the ABAI Annual Convention

We are so excited for the Association for Behavior Analysis International’s 50th Annual Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania!

The Pennsylvania Convention Center and the headquarters hotel, the Marriott Philadelphia Downtown, are located heart of walkable and accessible Philadelphia. The convention center is steps away from art institutions such as the Barnes Foundation, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Rodin Museum; and historic sites such as the Liberty Bell and the National Constitution Center, which are part of “America’s most historic square mile.” We are thrilled to offer an impressive program of over 500 presentations across a variety of topics.
The 2024 Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis (SABA) Awards will highlight the impressive contributions of Jay Moore (Distinguished Service to Behavior Analysis), Stuart Vyse (Effective Presentation of Behavior Analysis in the Mass Media), Jomella Watson-Thomas (Scientific Translation), Dermot Barnes-Holmes (International Dissemination of Behavior Analysis), and Teachers College, Columbia University (Enduring Programmatic Contributions in Behavior Analysis).
In honor of this significant milestone, this year’s program will include two themes: the history and future of the Association for Behavior Analysis International, and the history and future of the science of behavior analysis. Presentations will include a symposium and panel on each of these themes.
The presidential scholar address “Was the Big Brain a Useful Adaptation?” will be presented by Mr. Bill McKibben, a founder of Third Act, which organizes people over the age of 60 to work on climate and racial justice. He will discuss the crisis surrounding global warming and how we might turn it around.
The B. F. Skinner Lecture Series – presentations curated by the Program Board and area coordinators and delivered by non-behavior analysts who work in complimentary fields – will provide convention attendees with a sense of how behavior analytic findings and methods contribute to broader scientific topics including artificial intelligence and gamification, augmented and virtual reality, trauma, social justice, and the cognitive world of honeybees.
Invited presentations will highlight some of the field’s most important and interesting leaders and trends. This year, the convention will feature presentations on self-injurious behavior, owner-implemented protocols for companion dogs, the constructional approach to social problems, determinants of benzodiazepine misuse, adherence to medical procedures for people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disabilities, the future of behavioral interventions in the age of artificial intelligence, relational framing, and more.
The Professional Development Series is an initiative of the ABAI Student Committee, which invites panels to address topics of special interest to Student members. Topics at this year’s convention include tips on writing for professional journals, navigating the field of public health, assessing and treating inappropriate sexual behavior, strategies for effective public engagement and outreach, and pursuing internships in doctoral education.
The convention program includes 370 panels and symposia, 70 workshops, 64 invited presentations – including 17 B. F. Skinner Lectures – and over 540 posters. Opportunities to collaborate and learn about other programs and organizations will be found during 29 business meetings, 22 reunions and receptions, and the expo poster session, which features over 100 posters.
This year’s convention will also include two special events to celebrate ABAI’s 50th anniversary, taking place on Sunday, May 26. The first event is a gala dinner. This exclusive, ticketed event will include fine dining, a silent auction, and reflections from ABAI presidents. The second event is our 50th Anniversary celebration, which will combine the reunions and the ABAI social. This special event is open to all convention attendees and will include light snacks, cash bars, live music, and a presentation about the history of ABAI. These events are not to be missed! We hope that you can join us to celebrate our history and our journey towards a promising future.
The 50th Annual Convention would not be possible without the work of ABAI’s Program Board. Coordinator Mitch Frying and Committee Chair Linda Hayes have overseen the completion of an impressive program with the assistance of 31 area coordinators in 16 program areas. This year’s coordinators are Denys Brand, Adam Briggs, Jennifer Bruzek, Regina Carroll, Alison Cox, Darlene Crone-Todd, Claudia Drossel, Jovonnie Esquierdo-Leal, Erica Feuerbacher, Elizabeth Fong, Andres Garcia-Penagos, Brett Gelino, August Holtyn, Kieva Hranchuk, Daniel Fienup, Yanerys Leon, Caio Miguel, Kerri Milyko, Amanda Muñoz-Martinez, Jonathan Pinkston, Sharlet Rafacz, Samantha Riggleman, Patrick Romani, Kathryn Roose, Rocio Rosales, Alice Shillingsburg, Eric Thrailkill, Jessica Van Stratton, Marco Vasconcelos, Mindy Waite, and Kim Zonneveld.
Finally, thank you to the extraordinary ABAI staff for their work in the planning, preparation, and execution of the convention.
We are looking forward to all of this and more at ABAI’s 50th Annual Convention on May 25–27, 2024, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We hope you will join us for this exciting and important milestone.