Richard A. Isay, M.D. was appointed Chairman of the Program Committee at the Association's May meeting in San Juan, succeeding Sydney E. Pulver, M.D. For one year prior to his appointment, Dr. Isay served as Co-chairman of the Committee with Dr. Pulver. He was also American Program Chairman of the IPA Congress at Helsinki and is Past Secretary of the International Psycho-Analytical Association's Program Committee.
The new Chairman recently moved to New York City from New Haven. Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Yale, he now holds the same title at Cornell. Formerly a member of the faculty of the Western New England Institute, he currently teaches at the Columbia University Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research. He also belongs to the Association for Psychoanalytic Medicine.
Dr. Isay foresees no significant changes in the Program Committee's direction. He does hope, however, “to have as much clinical and/or empirical data in the formal presentations as possible. Our goals,” he adds, “are clinical richness, empirical evidence (when possible and relevant), and clarity of expression in the papers presented.” Dr. Isay also hopes to encourage the presentation of divergent viewpoints whenever possible. The new Chairman is particularly interested in having candidates, as well as Affiliate and Associate Members, contribute papers and actively participate in the meetings.
Also planned is the expansion of the special presentations intended for psychiatric residents (see announcement on page 9).
Dr. Isay is Past President of the Western New England Psychoanalytic Society and formerly Co-Editor of The Newsletter. The enthusiasm, dedication, and intelligent administration with which he has served in the past should prove highly beneficial to the programs of the American's scientific meetings in the future.