Program Committee Report
Gisela Labouvie-Vief, Wayne State Univeristy

Gisela Labouvie-Vief

Plans for the 2003 conference began in late 2001/early 2002, when the committee was constituted. Over the months of January and February 2002, the committee discussed the timing and the theme of the conference. The time was shorted in comparison to previous conferences due to Halloween Holiday. We quickly decided to organize the conference around the topic of contextual influences at multiple levels of development, and appointed chairs to help flesh out three themes: culture and evolution (Lerner, Partridge), immigration (Antonucci, James) and memory and identity (Labouvie-Vief).

The committee was delighted to have virtually all nominated keynoters and panelists agree to participate in the conference.

By August 2, 2002, the core program was set and the local arrangements committee, under the guidance of Jackie James, took over. Monica Brooker at the Murray Center provided capable assistance. The conference was held at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study and was attended by over 140 people. Some 53 posters were presented during the reception on Saturday evening. At least five publishing companies were represented at the meeting.

I thank the committee for their quick and expert help in putting the conference together and making it a successful one.

Committee Members for the 2003 Conference: Toni Antonucci, Geraldine Kearse Brookings, Jacque Eccles, Glen Elder, Jackie James, Gisela Labouvie-Vief; Richard Lerner, Nancy Pare, Ty Partridge; Co-Chairs: Gisela Labouvie-Vief (program) and Jackie James (local arrangements)