Chata Dickson, PhD, BCBA-D, LABA, a principal researcher at NECC, recently co-authored an article in the Behavior Analysis in Practice journal that celebrated the achievements of women in the behavior analysis field. Along with her colleagues, Dickson highlighted the inaugural class of four women inducted into the Women in Behavior Analysis (WIBA) Hall of Fame in 2021.
As a member of the WIBA Hall of Fame Committee, Dickson plays a crucial role in selecting inductees and conducting research and interviews to showcase their contributions during the induction ceremony at the annual WIBA conference in Nashville, TN and in the journal. The first class of inductees included Eve Segal, Bea Barrett, Martha Bernal, and Judith Favell, a distinguished scientist, practitioner, advocate, and leader who is also a long-time friend of NECC.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to learn and share about these women and their roles in the history of behavior analysis, and it was a pleasure to do this alongside colleagues I admire,” Dickson said. She noted, “as Donald Baer, one of the founders of applied behavior analysis has said, ‘these women were there, but they were mainly ignored.’ This project allows us to shed light on the contributions of those women who were instrumental in laying the foundation for the work we do today that makes such a positive impact on the lives of people with disabilities and their families.”
Dickson’s sentiment highlights the importance of recognizing the contributions of women in the field of behavior analysis. Historically, women have often been underrepresented and undervalued in academic and scientific fields. By acknowledging the work of these women and highlighting their accomplishments, we can honor their legacies and inspire future generations of researchers and educators.
According to the article’s abstract:
The inaugural Women in Behavior Analysis Conference (WIBA) was hosted in 2017 to highlight the accomplishments of women in the field of behavior analysis, provide opportunities for early career behavior analysts to obtain mentorship, and encourage meaningful discourse about gender issues in the field. In 2021, WIBA created the Hall of Fame to identify and honor outstanding women who have contributed to the field. Four stellar and important women were inducted into the inaugural class: Eve Segal, Bea Barrett, Martha Bernal, and Judith Favell. This article provides an overview of the structure and function of the hall of fame as well as the individual accomplishments, accolades, and impacts of these women as described in the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Each year a newly selected group of women will be inducted, and their career will be highlighted in an article in Behavior Analysis in Practice.