BABAT Highlight

We are thrilled to recognize and feature BABAT and their Director of Student Relations, Stephanie Bonfonte.

1. How did BABAT decide to create a student and new member event at your 2022 convention? 

The Student Relations team at BABAT has one main goal- to support Massachusetts students in the field of behavior analysis. As former (and current) students, we know that conferences can be overwhelming if you’re new to the scene. There are big crowds, lots of great events to choose from, and sometimes travel arrangements to be made. Because of all that, we decided to create helpful materials and on-site support to improve the conference experience for folks in need.We fully intend to keep this initiative going and improvethe ways in which we show up for our students! 

2. How can we better support students and new professionals as a field? 

I think about this a lot. Right now, I firmly believe that one of the main things we can offer students and new professionals is a sense of community. Hold space for them. Although I don’t speak for everyone, many members of our field are in a time of reflection. Lots of us are focused on preserving scientific rigor while evaluating the social and ecological validity of our procedures, the degree to which our science is accepted by different societal groups, the need for more diverse representation, and so on. Students and new professionals are a huge part of this discussion. They should feel encouraged to contribute not only as scientists, but as individuals with life experience. It’s important that seasoned behavior analysts are present for them- as mentors, advocates, and listeners. The benefits are bidirectional if we have the right systems in place.

In short, we have to invest in the next generation of professionals and ensure they’re prepared to carry our work forward.If you’re reading this and have thoughts about how we can better serve you, please take a moment to complete our survey: 
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScgzYm-Um1XuwSxRB3JgAEiCKux_KT0X-cohiZ-umwk98Stwg/viewform

3. What recommendations do you have for people who are new to the field for connecting with others? 

First and foremost, I want to encourage people to understand themselves. What excites you? What research or clinical endeavors are you interested in? Are there changes you’d like to see made? It’s easy to get swept up in the responsibilities of being a student, not to mention that we’re in school during truly formative chapters of our lives. The same is true for anyone starting off in their profession. I wish I had spent more time getting to know myself. Once you have a pulse on your personal goals, get out there and behave! This is especially hard for anyone with social anxieties, like me, but you’ll be surprised at what happens when you take action. Any individual worthy of your time will be supportive- presenters will be happy to hear from you, organization leads will place value in what you have to say, and colleagues will reciprocate. Finally, use your resources! Organizations like APBA and BABAT have so much to offer if you’re not sure where to start, or where you’re going.

A little bit about BABAT:

BABAT (Massachusetts Professionals in Behavior Analysis) is the professional organization for behavior analysts in Massachusetts. We are an affiliate of the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA) and a chapter of the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI). We currently have over 3,000 members. Formed in 1979, BABAT is perhaps best known for the Annual Conference it has hosted for almost 45 years. This conference is for professionals, teachers, scholars, students, and persons interested in the areas of behavior analysis, autism, developmental disabilities, ethics, behavioral medicine, staff development, and more.BABAT is more than an organization that hosts an Annual Conference, however. We host over 24 events each year, including our Annual Social, our Education & Enrichment series, our ABA Small Business Summit, various webinars, student events, and monthly roundtables. We publish a quarterly newsletter (The New England Behavior Analyst) and a monthly member bulletin. We provide legislative, regulatory, and general advocacy for behavior analytic professionals in MA.

Interested in becoming a member? Click here and join today! Become A Member - Berkshire Association for Behavior Analysis and Therapy (babat.org)

See all of our affiliates here.