We are excited to share more information about a poster engagement initiative for ISDP 2026. This program is separate from the mentorship program that has been recently advertised. The poster engagement program, designed to facilitate poster engagement and networking for poster presenters, is a more casual pairing where attendees will be “invited” to posters. The goal of this initiative is to facilitate greater networking and engagement at the poster session (and beyond), for poster presenters who would like to network with other attendees (faculty, research scientists, or graduate students in labs they might be interested in) over the poster session. This program serves as an informal matching or nudge to encourage greater discussion and connection for poster presenters. More detail is listed below. We encourage attendees to sign up for both the mentorship initiative and the poster engagement program if they are inclined to participate in both! 
 
Poster Engagement Session: 
We are excited to invite ISDP attendees to a new poster networking initiative at the 2026 annual meeting. This networking initiative is sponsored by the ISDP DEI Committee. Through this program, poster presenters will have the opportunity to invite attendees to their posters to facilitate scientific discussion and professional networking. This will take place during the two poster sessions: Wednesday, November 11th, from 6:00-7:30 pm and Thursday, November 12th, from 6:00-7:30 pm.
 
If you are a graduate student, postdoctoral researcher, or faculty member, you may sign up to be “invited” to specific poster presentations during the two poster sessions. Before the meeting, poster presenters will select attendees from a list of those who opted in to this program. ISDP DEI Committee members will match attendees who have been invited to posters and provide the poster information (poster number, presentation time) of those who invited them to visit their poster. By signing up, you are not required, but are strongly encouraged to attend the posters you have been invited to. We look forward to your participation in this networking initiative! We will be sending more information about the list of attendees and poster “invites” in the weeks leading up to the conference. 
 
Please indicate your interest in the program using the following link or the QR code on the flyer: https://forms.gle/4J39tM7tcgfnYSFA7

Best regards, 
ISDP DEI Committee

Affinity Breakfast: Fostering Community and Belonging at ISDP

Join us for an engaging, open discussion designed to foster community, connection, inclusivity, and belonging within the ISDP community on Wednesday, November 11, from 7:30-8:45 a.m. in the Crowne Plaza St. Charles Ballroom. Over a complimentary continental breakfast, we plan to provide an opportunity for members to connect across career stages, backgrounds, and experiences; share perspectives and experiences related to navigating our field; and identify ways we can build a more supportive and inclusive scientific community.

Rather than separate affinity-group tables, this year’s breakfast will bring ISDP members together for a shared conversation. The discussion will create space to consider how different aspects of identity and lived experiences both intersect and shape our academic and professional settings as well as future lived experiences. All ISDP members are welcome and encouraged to participate, listen, and contribute to the discussion.

Please register in advance to help us plan for the event and ensure an accurate headcount.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSer24rWseLwPVOE9mZb2vlLECqfE100_cDaIFWMhXj-GLxwzA/viewform?usp=dialog

Hello to our community:

Thank you to those who were able to attend our 2025 Self-Reflection Meeting for the ISDP DEI committee. For those who were unable to attend, please see attached a summary and the copy of the presentation shared at this meeting: link to Prezi meeting presentation.

Interested in joining the ISDP DEI Committee? We are looking for new members at all training and career stages. More information and the form to apply can be found here: link to DEI committee application. Please apply by March 15th, 2026. 

As always, we value your feedback and insights. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, ideas, or concerns.

With gratitude,

The International Society for Developmental Psychobiology (ISDP) is committed to promoting and upholding values of diversity, equity, inclusivity, and social justice. As a society, we are dedicated to combating bias in both our science and membership, and we pledge to devote time, resources, and effort towards creating and sustaining a scientific environment where scholars from all career stages and lived experiences can thrive. 

Progress can only be made through transparency, collaborative action, and continuous self-reflection. For that reason, we are making a commitment to advancing specific priorities for each academic year. These goals were identified and discussed by the members of the ISDP DEI committee, and we will review our progress on these fronts and revise these priorities annually.

DEI Committee 2025

Lana Ruvolo Grasser, Chair
Joscelin Rocha-Hidalgo, Liaison to the ISDP Board
Diana Lopera-Perez
Susan Perlman
Heather Brenhouse
Koraly Perez-Edgar
Ujala Janjua
Emilia Cárdenas
Anna Parenteau

Interested in joining the DEI Committee? https://forms.gle/1RfkNJzzKiSkf1En6

Update & Goals 2024-2025

On Friday, January 17, 2025, the ISDP Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee hosted a self-reflection meeting open to all ISDP members. We recapped our past year and ongoing goals as a committee, and we received feedback from both committee members and ISDP members more broadly to move forward in 2025.

Successes in 2024 highlighted included our first committee-sponsored symposium, “Addressing Racial Disparities In Maternal Health And Brain Research: Insights From Human And Animal Studies”, and our special topics issue (currently in progress) on “The Critical Need for Diversity in the Science of Developmental Psychobiology” in Developmental Psychobiology. 

As we move forward, we aim to continue to build community beyond the annual meeting, welcome new meeting attendees and members—particularly those from the Global South, towards the goal of hosting future meetings in the Global South , and expanding opportunities for mentorship.

If you are interested in partnering towards these goals and others related to DEI, please consider joining our committee! Applications are due by the end of February and can be submitted here: https://tinyurl.com/joinISDPDEIteam

Goals for 2022-2023

  1. Establish a board position for a DEI liaison as an ex officio member with voting rights. The liaison will be a vocal advocate of DEI-related issues and ensure that the planned activities and goals of the DEI committee are reached. 
  2. Increase the undergraduate presence of scholars from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds at the annual meeting. We will do so by:
    • Inviting scholars from colleges and universities around San Diego (where the 2022 meeting is taking place), focusing on minority-serving institutions (MSIs). 
    • Covering conference registration of local scholars from MSIs. 
    • Inviting local scholars from MSIs to the Meet the Professors Breakfast.
  3. Integrate DEI issues into the Meet the Professors (MTP) breakfast. Typically, the MTP breakfast is focused on connecting students and early career scholars with professors who share their research interests. This year we will restructure the MTP breakfast to involve conversations focused on career progress and DEI issues. We will make a call for professors to volunteer for the lunch, particularly those with marginalized identities who have the bandwidth to connect with students in this format.
  4. Create a ‘How to Conference at ISDP’ guide and distribute prior to the annual meeting.
  5. Submit a grant to NSF to establish a mentoring program specifically for scientists from marginalized socio-demographic backgrounds.  

Why is a DEI committee necessary?

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are essential for scientific progress. First, diverse teams bring a range of perspectives, ideas, and approaches to research, which can lead to novel insights, foster creativity, and drive innovation. These different perspectives can question existing paradigms and enable more comprehensive and nuanced explorations of questions relating to development. Second, equity ensures that all individuals have equal opportunities to contribute to scientific knowledge regardless of their background. Equity broadens the talent pool and helps ensure that the benefits of scientific research are widely distributed and accessible. Lastly, an inclusive environment is vital in retaining diverse talent and ensuring all members feel valued, respected, and part of the scientific community. Inclusion fosters collaboration and mutual respect, further encouraging the exchange of ideas. DEI not only enriches the scientific community, but also improves the quality and reach of scientific research, amplifying our ability as scientists to address complex questions and challenges.