The 12th Annual AAHB Scientific Meeting was held March 18-21, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin, Texas.  With its timely theme, Applications of Technology in Health Behavior Change Research, the meeting was filled with phenomenal presentations (and provocative discussions!), outstanding poster sessions and workshops, and a hugely successful hands-on tech demo session.

Organized by Dr. Herb Severson, and facilitated by Session Chairs, Dr. Rita DeBate and Dr. Diane Abatemarco, this year’s program included national and internationally recognized researchers who presented their ideas, challenges, and findings from their innovative work on integrating advancements in technology into health behavior change research.  Speakers included David Abrams, David Ahern, Audie Atienza, Sheana Bull, Paul Estabrooks, BJ Fogg, Chris Fulcher, Brad Hesse, Kevin Hwang, Ellen LaPointe, Kevin Patrick, and Susan Woods.

Incoming President Scott Olds, Outgoing President Elaine Borawski and Program Chair, Herb Severson

In addition to the highly informative and often provocative presentations, the conference also featured a set of professional development workshops, including a workshop on social media by Dr. Sheana Bull, another on electronic data collection methods by Dr. Erika Trapl and Mr. Ryan Kofron, and a 2-day workshop on GIS mapping by Dr. Christopher Fulcher.   For students and junior faculty attendees, two AAHB Fellows-sponsored luncheon sessions were offered, one on developing scientific posters, led by Dr. Mathew Smith and the other on tips for building technology into grant proposal and research facilitated by Dr. Herb Severson and that morning’s speakers.

A number of Academy awards were presented, including the 2012 AAHB Research Laureate Award to Dr. Andrea Gielen (introduced by last year's Laureate, Dr. John  Lowe); the Judy K. Black Early Research Award to Dr. Adam Leventhal, the presentation of the 2011 Fellows Class, which included Drs. David Abrams, Cheryl Holt, Jay Maddock, Scott Rhodes, Manoj Sharma, and Tracey Wilson; the outstanding research poster awards to Dr. Erika Trapl (professional), Ms. Annie Nguyen (student) and their colleagues, and a number of Posters of Distinction.  (see Poster Awards link to the right). 

Dr. R. Scott Olds was installed as the new Academy President, taking over the reigns from Dr. Elaine Borawski.  Dr. Olds thanked the 2012 Conference Planning Committee, members of the outgoing Board (Drs. David Seal, Virginia Dodd and Elbert Glover), and sought feedback from the membership by asking, “what has made you proud to be a member and most importantly, how can we do more of what we are doing well?  Click on Dr. Olds’ photo to the right for a copy of his Presidential Address.

CLICK ON THE PHOTOS TO THE RIGHT FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THESE MEETING HIGHLIGHTS.