Submitted by Mike Williams, Manager, A. Britton Smith Centre for Behavioural Studies
On November 8th and 9th, many SLC staff, faculty, and students attended the annual Ontario Association for Behaviour Analysis (ONTABA) Conference in Toronto. It was a conference of great topics, learning, and connecting with other members of the behaviour analytic community from all over Ontario.
Faculty members Pam Shea and Kim Trudeau-Craig were concurrent session speakers, each presenting on relevant topics. Pam highlighted sustainability research that’s happening at St. Lawrence College and reviewed current projects from three Honours Bachelor of Behavioural Psychology students and alumni, while Kim was part of a taskforce panel that discussed current updates about the regulation of Behaviour Analysts in Ontario. Mike Williams, manager of the A. Britton Smith Centre for Behavioural Studies, also presented in a concurrent session, highlighting a research project the Centre conducted within the last year, involving SLC placement students in partnership with a local agency. Mike’s presentation was supported by the Research and Innovation department at SLC!
Laura Campbell, first and second year coordinator in the Honours Bachelor of Behavioural Psychology degree program at SLC, as well as founder of Stride Academy in Kingston and Belleville, was awarded ONTABA’s Clinical Excellence award. This prestigious honour recognizes Laura’s time and dedication to the field, in both the classroom and community, and is a well-deserved acknowledge of her work and leadership.
SLC’s involvement at ONTABA extended beyond the presentations, as the A. Britton Smith Centre for Behavioural Studies was also a sponsor of the conference. The Centre’s booth was a hub of activity, engaging conference attendees and fostering connections between the college, students, and professionals in the field.
Finally, there were seven current students and recent graduates from the Honours Bachelor of Behavioural Psychology Program who had posters accepted to the annual ONTABA Poster Gala and had the opportunity to present their placement and thesis projects to the conference attendees. These topics exhibited not only their academic achievements, but also their hard work and time spent helping clients and local agencies while learning important skills as they enter the field. A special recognition goes out to students Elizabeth Minnis, Maeve Miskelly, Sierra Soule, Charleigh Enright, Karissa Smith, and recent grads Taylor Rainville, and Rhianna Lloyd for showcasing their projects in this event.
The 2024 ONTABA conference was a great event for SLC, showcasing the talent and dedication from its staff, faculty, students, and alumni. As SLC continues to inspire and prepare the next generation of Behaviour Analysts and professionals in the field of behaviour analysis, its leadership and presence in events such as ONTABA shows the dedication and commitment needed to continue to be a leader in education.