Behavioral Scientists Gather in Washington, DC
Behavioral Scientists Gather in Washington, DC
The Armenian Reporter International
October 1, 2005
(about Alen J. Salerian, MD’s reception of an award)
On Friday evening, August 19, 2005, Armenian psychologists convened at the Grand Hyatt Washington Hotel for the seventeenth gathering of the Armenian Behavioral Science Association (ABSA). This two-part gathering was part of the 113th annual convention of the American Psychological Association
(APA), and was chaired by Professors Harold Takooshian and Anie Kalayjian of Fordham University in New York.
The gathering began with a report on the activities of ABSA, which was formed in New York City in 1987. Participants at the meeting introduced themselves and gave a series of brief reports on their diverse groups and activities.
These included the American University of Armenia (www.auamirror.com), Meline Karakashian’s Hokeban (www.hokeban.com), Anie Kalayjian’s Armenian American Society for Studies of Stress and Genocide (www.meaningfulworld.com), the harrassment in Yerevan of the esteemed Dr. Carolann and George Najarian (www.najarian.info), Hayk Kaftarian’s Armenian American Health Association of Greater Washington, which was started after the 1988 earthquake in Armenia (www.aahagw.org), Jane Mahakian’s new Armenian Alzheimer’s Association (www.alzarmenia.org), and Samvel Jeshmaridian’s announcement of a new Armenian bookstore on-line (www.zangak.com).
The second part of the August 19 gathering was the ABSA awards presentation and gala reception. Over a festive buffet, 75 guests heard messages by two of the 2005 ABSA Distinguished Achievement Award, for outstanding contributions to the behavioral sciences.
Mark Krikorian, the longtime Executive Director of the Center for Immigration Studies, spoke about his extensive studies in Yerevan and the Middle East, which led to his becoming one of the most articultae experts in the USA on immigration reform.
Psychiatrist Alen J. Salerian, the Director of the Washington Center for Psychiatry and former Chief Psychiatric consultant to the FBI, offered a riveting presentation on his brilliant interdisciplinary work on “evidence-based history,” including a major new international project he is now completing, which may be ready for public announcement later in 2005. Redears can check salerianbrain.com.
Dr. Salerian is a noted psychiatris, who has earned national and international accolades for his treatment of psychiatric disorders, his pioneering work in forensic psychiatry and his research on a variety of topics, including President Franklin Roosevelt’s impaired state of mind during his last years in the presidency.
The popular, recently published book titled “Will’s Choice”, written by Gail Griffith, features Dr. Salerian as the psychiatrist who helped save Ms. Griffith’s depressed, suicidal son.
Dr. Salerian is also kown as a frequent contributor to medical journals such as the Lancet, The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry and numerous national newspapers such as The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times and USA Today. He has appeared on news shows as an expert commentator on numerous occasions, including such programs as CBS’s “60 Minutes”, and “48 Hours”, and BBC’s “Panorama”. He is a regular analyst on the Washington, DC CBS affiliate WUSA.
On this occasion Samvel Jeshmaridian, PhD, of Yerevan Ajarian University, sent the following congratulory email: “Greetings from Yerevan. My friends and colleagues in Armenia and Artsakh and I wish ABSA participants fruitful work. My congratulations to Mark Krikorian and Professor Alen J. Salerian.”
The gala reception was sponsored by admirers of Dr. Salerian, and organized by a special committee headed by Lynn Beavers and Shawntell Bell of Washington, DC.