Director Recognized
Sussann Schmitt
Issue date: 9/4/08 Section: News
If you are a University of Akron student and haven't seen the Archives of the History of American Psychology, you are really missing out.
Dr. David Baker, the director of the Archives of the History of American Psychology and professor of psychology, won the American Psychological Association's Presidential Citation for preserving the historical records of American psychology this August.
The archives, located in the Polsky Building, have been around since 1965 and were started at the University of Akron.
Dr. John Popplestone and Dr. Marion White McPherson founded the AHAP in effort to preserve the historical record of psychology.
They both were professors at UA, and decided to form the archives while other psychologists started writing journals or graduate programs.
The AHAP is an affiliate of the prestigious Smithsonian Institution Affiliates Program.
What makes the archives so special is the fact that they collect and have the most unique material around and is the largest of its kind in the world. They have everything, including manuscript collections, instruments and apparatuses, and a large collection of media, film and psychological tests.
For example, Abraham Maslow, a very famous psychologist, who is known for his idea of the Hierarchy of Needs, has his original journal entries and correspondences now in the hands of the archives.
Every year the president of the American Psychological Association, which is the largest psychology organization in the world, gives citations in recognition of contributions to the science and practice of psychology, efforts to improve and expand mental health services, and efforts to promote human welfare.
The President of the APA receives solicited nominations and then selects the individuals who he thinks are most qualified for the award.
There were many others who won the award, although Baker was the only one from the archives.
He was very "surprised and honored" to win such an outstanding award. Baker has been working with the archives since 1999 and is the Margaret Clark Morgan Director.
Dr. David Baker, the director of the Archives of the History of American Psychology and professor of psychology, won the American Psychological Association's Presidential Citation for preserving the historical records of American psychology this August.
The archives, located in the Polsky Building, have been around since 1965 and were started at the University of Akron.
Dr. John Popplestone and Dr. Marion White McPherson founded the AHAP in effort to preserve the historical record of psychology.
They both were professors at UA, and decided to form the archives while other psychologists started writing journals or graduate programs.
The AHAP is an affiliate of the prestigious Smithsonian Institution Affiliates Program.
What makes the archives so special is the fact that they collect and have the most unique material around and is the largest of its kind in the world. They have everything, including manuscript collections, instruments and apparatuses, and a large collection of media, film and psychological tests.
For example, Abraham Maslow, a very famous psychologist, who is known for his idea of the Hierarchy of Needs, has his original journal entries and correspondences now in the hands of the archives.
Every year the president of the American Psychological Association, which is the largest psychology organization in the world, gives citations in recognition of contributions to the science and practice of psychology, efforts to improve and expand mental health services, and efforts to promote human welfare.
The President of the APA receives solicited nominations and then selects the individuals who he thinks are most qualified for the award.
There were many others who won the award, although Baker was the only one from the archives.
He was very "surprised and honored" to win such an outstanding award. Baker has been working with the archives since 1999 and is the Margaret Clark Morgan Director.
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