Dear SRCD Members,
As 2023 comes to a close, we are called to reflect on the Society’s achievements and transitions and to highlight some of the important work that will continue and, in some instances, come to fruition during the coming year. It is a time for looking back and looking forward as we strive to advance developmental sciences and its use to improve human lives.
We were delighted to have the 2023 Biennial Meeting in-person this year. Over 4,000 scientists convened in Salt Lake City, Utah, for the fantastic program organized by Gigi Luk and Rashmita Mistry. We also celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the Black Caucus and danced the night away! Seeing and connecting with each other in person post-COVID—whether to share research, establish and nurture collegial relationships, or revitalize friendships—made some of us even more aware of the social and psychological costs of COVID, notwithstanding the creative ways we found to cope with the pandemic.
We are exceedingly grateful to the interim editors of Child Development (Shauna Cooper), Child Development Perspectives (Rebecca White), and Monographs (Ginger Moore), and the new editor of Social Policy Report (Lisa Berlin). Their dedication and diligence during this transition period have ensured the continued success of our Journals.
We are also enormously thankful for the extensive and sustained work of the Task Force on Publications and Ethical Behavior, co-chaired by Sandra Graham and Daniel Keating. The group has worked assiduously over many months to meet its charge. We anticipate that the final report of the Task Force will be released to the membership in late January or early February 2024.
A number of exciting activities are on the horizon, among them SRCD’s Anti-Racist Developmental Science Summit that will be held in Panama City, Panama, May 15-17, 2024. The first of its kind for SRCD, #SRCDSummit24 will address critical issues related to racial equity and justice in developmental science. We are reviewing submissions and will open registration for the Summit at the end of January 2024.
The SRCD Governing Council met in our offices in Washington, DC in November to discuss numerous policy issues and projects for 2024. Stay tuned for more information on the GC’s work. In addition, watch for profiles of GC members on our website and for invitations to coffee hours with GC members.
I am honored to serve as your president and look forward to working with you in the coming year. Although SRCD is a relatively small organization, it is nonetheless a very complex organization whose mission and goals can only be advanced through the concerted efforts of several standing and ad hoc committees and working groups. We owe a debt of gratitude to these committees and groups. In addition, the SRCD staff deserve kudos for their dedication and masterful coordination of these myriad efforts. We applaud their professionalism, flexibility, and good cheer and thank them for their tireless work.
I wish you peace and the joys of the season as you spend time with your loved ones and plan for the year ahead.
Vonnie C. McLoyd
SRCD President