From the Editor’s Desk
Aric A. Prather, PhD
SBSM Newsletter Editor
Summer has passed and Fall is upon us. The world is being rocked by natural disaster after natural disaster, not to mention the man-made disasters at every turn. Despite such chaos, I still find a sense of rebirth at the dawn of a new academic year. So many studies to run, so many papers to write, so many students to teach and reteach. There are many exciting things on the horizon for SBSM as well, many of which will be highlighted in this newsletter. Immediately upon us is the midyear meeting, with the theme “Emotions in Social Relationships: Implications for Health and Disease”, which is taking place in Berkeley, CA on October 20th and 21st. I’m certainly biased, as it is the home of my alma mater, but historical links between Berkeley and the field of Psychosomatic Medicine are strong (heard of Richard Lazarus?). Anyway, I’m thrilled that so many scientists will be making their way West for an incredible midyear meeting. After the meeting, of course the next event on the calendar is the annual meeting, taking place in Louisville, Kentucky. Beyond the traditional fare of cutting edge science there so much to be absorbed in the “bluegrass state.” What you ask? Well, my friend, just a read the comprehensive, and I mean Comprehensive (with a capital C), piece provided by Dr. Sandie Sephton and SBSM president Dr. Suzanne Segerstrom, with help from Dr. Liz Cash, Kala Phillips, and Dr. Chelsea Siwik. Honestly, I can’t wait! But just to appease your appetite for the annual meeting, I am grateful that Dr. Sarah Pressman, your Program Committee Chair, provided a teaser about what we can expect at the meeting this year…be sure to read on.
Also in this edition of the Newsletter, please be sure to read the compelling entry by our president Dr. Segerstrom, who lays out many of the exciting collaborations on the horizon for APS. It truly is an exciting time. As per usual, our fearless Journal editor, Dr. Wijo Kop provides an update of the goings on in the Journal and highlights recently published work. Finally, I am pleased to provide interviews with two esteemed members of our SBSM family. In our Meet the Lab section, we travel to UCLA to talk shop with Dr. Naomi Eisenberger and meet her posse- the Social and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory. We also travel across the Atlantic to spend some time with, and soak up some wisdom from, Dr. Andrew Steptoe in our Getting to Know section. I hope you enjoy the newsletter and if you have any comments or feedback (constructive or otherwise), please feel free to drop me an email (aric.prather@ucsf.edu).