Professor Sylvia Xiaohua Chen
Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
It is my great honor to serve the Asian Association of Social Psychology as President-Elect. As I undertake my first task, putting together this issue of the newsletter in collaboration with its editor and South Asia regional representative Roomana N. Siddiqui, I find myself in a reflective mood.
Since I first attended an AASP conference in Wellington, New Zealand in 2005, I have been struck by the warm atmosphere, collegial relationships, and intellectual stimulation we enjoy in this big Asian social psychology family. Having served as the Hong Kong representative-at-large for nearly eight years and as an Associate Editor of the Asian Journal of Social Psychology for four years, I have witnessed the rapid growth and sustainable development of the Association and its flagship journal. It is my hope that we can maintain and build on this enviable base.
In the months to come, the executive team will continue to promote research and networking by organizing small group meetings and editing special issues on novel topics such as the social psychology of climate change in the Asian context, and narratives of identity. To increase its visibility through social media outlets, the AASP has set up Twitter and Facebook accounts in English and a Weibo account in Chinese. The renewal of the AASP-Wiley Publishing Agreement is also in progress this year and hopefully can bring better benefits to the Association. We will also strengthen connections with other professional associations such as the International Association of Language and Social Psychology, and the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology.
Before I sign off, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Past Presidents Emiko Kashima, Allan Bernardo, and James Liu for their invaluable contributions to the AASP. Appreciation also goes to Li Liu and Beijing Normal University for their generous support of the Association. I would also like to add what a joy it will be to work with President Hoon-Seok Choi, Secretary-General Fang Wang, and Treasurer Wendy Li. Finally, I look forward to the collective endeavors ahead, working together with more AASP members to create synergies and inspire collaborations across boundaries.