Past Events
Western Positive Psychology Association (WPPA)
WPPA’s 8th Annual Conference
March 22-24, 2024
From Surviving to Thriving!
Our first in-person WPPA conference since 2020 celebrated exceptional forward advances in POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY. Hosted at University of New Mexico (UNM) in Albuquerque, NM, March 22-24, 2024 with Faculty Executive Conference Chair Bruce W. Smith, Ph.D., Conference Chair Matthew Higgins, and the Center for Applied Positive Psychology (CAPP) team led by Paul Smith – from academic presentations to exceptional applications – the landmark event brought new heights to our community. While the past few years have been challenging and many of us have felt as if we are doing all we can to survive, we chose this conference and the science of positive psychology to move From Surviving to Thriving across fields, professions, and all areas of life. Flourishing with our featured Keynote Speaker, Sonja Lyubomirsky, and featured speakers Bill Miller, and Stewart I. Donaldson, the cutting edge research findings, rich applications … not to mention the exceptional dinners Friday and Saturday nights plus welcome continental breakfasts – it was a great renewing TIME TOGETHER.
Please visit WPPA 8th Annual Conference Photo Gallery to enjoy a few highlights.
International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA) World Congress – Vancouver, Canada
IPPA’s 8th World Congress, July 20-23, 2023 enjoyed over 1000 attendees from over 50 counties including research scientists, multi-discipline students, educators, clinicians, therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, MDs, Nurse Practitioners, coaches, consultants, corporate executives, environmentalists, HR leaders, and other positive psychology friends. To learn more, visit IPPA World Congress on Positive Psychology and view the IPPA WORLD CONGRESS Program
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Our 7th Annual WPPA Conference 2022-2023 was offered as a FALL-WINTER-SPRING WEBINAR SERIES +
COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE (COP) Roundtable meetings
Share Your Research andExperiences – Successful Applications of Positive Psychology
Building Blocks of Well-Being PERMA +4
January Topic: Positive Psychology and Well-Being
Date: Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023
Time: 4pm PST
Join us online for this free event.
Stewart Donaldson, Ph.D. invites you to be a part of our Community of Practice (COP) meetings, discussion and roundtable. Students, faculty, clinicians, caregivers, health care professionals, practitioners, employees, human resources specialists, researchers, life coaches, non-profit and commercial businesses, volunteers – all perspectives are welcomed as we continue WPPA 2023-24 into future and beyond. Join and share your thoughts.
Community of Practice (CoP)
WPPA CoP meets regularly to explore the Foundations of Well-Being (PERMA+4)
Special Holiday Event
12.1.2022
Keynote Speaker: Phil Zimbardo, Ph.D.
Heroes in our lives matter! Hear Phil’s story!
7th Annual WPPA Conference 2022-23 offered as a WEBINAR SERIES +
Keynote Speaker: FRED LUTHANS, Ph.D.
Meaning and Impact of Positive Psychological Capital (PsyCap)
Date: Thursday, April 21, 2022
Time: 12 Noon to 1pm PDT
View 7th Annual Conference Photos – Fall/Winter Webinar – Fred Luthans, Ph.D.
Fred Luthans. Ph.D. launched our WPPA 2022 spring calendar. He is celebrated as the founder of the positive organizational behavior and psychological capital (PsyCap) fields. President of the Academy of Management, Lifetime Achievement Award and Distinguished Scholarly Contributions and Management Awards recipient he will share his background, development, and spotlight the impressive impact of PsyCap – the combination of HOPE, EFFICACY, RESILIENCE & OPTIMISM – the HERO within model – in both the scientific research and society.
7th WPPA Annual Conference
FALL WEBINAR SERIES
Keynote Speaker: KIM CAMERON, Ph.D.
Our first Fall Keynote was Kim Cameron, Ph.D. who is listed among the Top Ten Organizational World Scholars. Researcher, educator, speaker, and author of over 130 academic articles and 15 scholarly books, Dr. Cameron leads the field exploring individual attraction and our responses in the presences of positive energy.
Positively Energizing Leadership
Kim Cameron, Ph.D. is the William Russell Kelly Professor of Management and Organizations in the Ross School of Business and a Professor of Higher Education in the School of Education at the University of Michigan. His research on organizational virtue, effectiveness, corporate culture of quality, and leadership excellence highlights virtuousness within organizations including forgiveness, kindness, gratitude, and compassion in relationship to well-being and performance.
View 7th Annual Conference Photos – Fall/Winter Webinar – Kim Cameron, Ph.D.
For more information, check out Events at Claremont Graduate University hosting this Spring Webinar Series Community event.
If you missed or would like to watch Dr. Cameron’s presentation again, you may click on Positively Energizing Leadership.
6th WPPA Annual Conference
SPRING WEBINAR SERIES
Keynote Speaker: BARBARA FREDRICKSON, Ph.D.
Barbara Fredrickson is the Kenan Distinguished Professor at the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she is Director of the Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Laboratory (PEP Lab). She is most recognized for her “Broaden and Build Theory” of positive emotions and an upward spiral, foundational within Positive Psychology providing a blueprint for how pleasant emotional states, as fleeting as they may be, contribute to resilience well being, and health.
Dr. Fredrickson has published more than 120 peer-reviewed articles and her general audience books Positivity (2009, PositivityRatio.com) and Love 2.0 (2013) have been translated into dozens of languages. Among the most highly cited scholars, she recently was identified as among the top 0.01% of scientists across 22 scientific fields in terms of career-long scholarly impact. Recipient of numerous awards, she is Past President – International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA).
For more information, check out Events at Claremont Graduate University hosting this Spring Webinar Series Community event.
View WPPA 6th Annual Conference – Spring Webinar – 2nd Keynote Barb Fredrickson, March 18, 2021
We will be uploading FREDRICKSON’s WPPA KEYNOTE: Repercussions of Co-Experienced Positive Emotions .
Keynote Speaker: LEA WATERS, Ph.D.
Our 2021 first Keynote Speaker was Lea Waters, Ph.D., the Gerry Higgins Chair in Positive Psychology and the founding Director of the Centre for Positive Psychology at the University of Melbourne. She is also the former President of the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA).
We are preparing to upload Dr. Water’s 90 minute video presentation:
Searching for Positive Education in Pandemic and Non-Pandemic Times
Western Positive Psychology Association (WPPA)
5th WPPA Annual Conference
Saturday, January 25, 2020 — Claremont Graduate University
New Directions in the Science of Positive Psychology
Robert Vallerand, Professor of Psychology from Université du Québec à Montreal and Canadian Research Chair in Motivational Processes and Optimal Functioning gave our Opening Keynote Address titled The Role of Passion in Positive Psychology.
This year’s program was selected from a large submission pool of creative evidence-based research by faculty, students, professionals, and researchers. Claremont Graduate University (CGU) hosted this all-day conference bringing together scholars and professionals from around the world featuring distinguished speakers, individual presentations, symposia, and posters on topics including Positive Work and Organizations, Positive Developmental Psychology, Positive Health Psychology, Positive Psychology and Sports, and Science of Well-being Theory Across the Life Span.
Please enjoy the videos of our 2020 Conference, main conference room keynote speakers.
WPPA 5th Conference 2020, Keynote Speakers – Main Room 8:30 am to 6 pm.
Password: wppa2020
Also, please visit our WPPA 2020 Program – New Directions in the Science of Positive Psychology
PHOTO Albums from the conference are available in 3 albums.
All photos are full file and downloadable. Please share.
WPPA 2020 Opening and Morn. Sessions – 8 am to 11:50am
WPPA 2020 Afternoon Sessions – Noon to 5 pm
WPPA 2020 Closing, Poster, Wine & Cheese, and Meet Psychology Authors – 6 pm to 8 pm
International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA)
6th IPPA World Congress on Positive Psychology was held in Melbourne, Australia in 2019.
7th IPPA World Congress will be held July 15 -17, 2021 Virtual, Online
Wellbeing for All
Leaders in Positive Psychology convened in Australia this summer. Speakers from around the world included Martin & Mandy Seligman, Barbara Fredrickson, Lisa Barrett Feldman, Jeanne Nakamura, Stewart Donaldson, Saeideh (Saida) Heshmati, Sarah Pressman, Robert Biswas-Diener, Jonathan Haidt, James Pawelski, Michael Steger, Watari Sato and so many more. For program information and featured speakers, visit the IPPA’s 6th World Congress website .
Membership in IPPA gives you access to a wonderful library of speakers’ presentations, both at this congress and more.
WPPA’s 4th Conference
Saturday, January 26th, 2019 — Claremont Graduate University
Evidence Based Applications in Positive Psychology –
A Tribute to the Legacy of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Many thanks to our presenters, session chairs, and attendees sharing the day with us at Claremont Graduate University featured in the Team Mike 2019 photo below. A special thank you, too, to our volunteers and video casters for bringing our positive psychology community together and joining us via online streaming. 
Agenda downloadable poster is available ONLINE: as is the detailed schedule of our Fourth Annual Positive Psychology Association ProgramF We are preparing video clip episodes from our main conference room academic presentations and will post the links when editing is done. Additionally, a link to the many event photos captured that day will be shared soon. Look for the link to also be featured on our CGU DBOS 2019 Conference Information, Guidelines, and Registration page
We were grateful to hear Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi – “Father of Flow” and Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Management for sharing his views about the Future of Positive Psychology. He retired at the end of the 2018-2019 academic year.
Event photos from 4th WPPA Annual Conference 2019 Opening Session, Morning Sessions 10-Noon 2019, Csikszentmihalyi’s Noon Keynote Address and Team Mike Photos, Afternoon Sessions 2-6 pm 2019, and last, Poster Session + Wine & Cheese Reception 6-8 pm 2019 are up and available! Photos are full file and may be downloaded and shared, but not repurposed for any commercial use. Enjoy!
View our 3rd WPPA Annual Conference 2018 Photos along with videos Keynote Opening & Closing WPPA Keynote Addresses 2018 by Shaun Tomson and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi hosted by the Division of Behavioral & Organizational Sciences (DBOS) at Claremont Graduate University.
Finally, our 2nd WPPA Annual Conference 2017 Photos and our 1st WPPA Annual Conference 2014 Photos are also available online. Thanks again for all sharing your time, your research and self-efficacy smiles in our growing Western Positive Psychology Association community.
3rd Western Positive Psychology Association Conference
January 20, 2018 — Claremont Graduate University
The Next Generation of Positive Psychology Research
Please find our WPPA 3rd CGU Conference Program – 1.20.2018 and link to our 2018 Conference Event Documentary photos as well as professional photos of the Opening and Closing Keynotes, Book Signing and Poster Session.
Shaun Tomson, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi , Kendall Cotton Bronk, and Stewart I. Donaldson shared the kickoff for our 3rd WPPA Conference! Presentations by professors and students from CSU-Northridge, Stanford University, University of New Mexico, UC Irvine, Penn State, Ohio State, Pepperdine University, CSU-Dominguez Hills, University of New Mexico and more shared their latest research on Gratitude, GRIT, Efficacy, Performance under Pressure, Wisdom, Positive Workplace Change, Compassionate Love, Well-Being, Appreciation, and positive psychology FLOW, to name only a few. Positive Psychology professionals including Raylene Gonzalez, Jessica Morales, and faculty from Claremont Graduate University Kendall Cotton Bronk, Jeffrey C. Yip, and Jason T. Siegel rounded out our program, with an exciting seven-presenter symposium on Habits and Positive Psychology led by Jeanne Nakamura.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s closing Keynote: Addressing Major Problems in Society: The Next Generation of Positive Psychology Research was exceptional.
If you would like to see videos of both the opening and the closing Keynotes, please visit our website hosted by Claremont Graduate University Division of Behavioral & Organizational Sciences (DBOS).
International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA) — 5th World Congress
July 13-16, 2017 — Palais de Congrès de Montréal, Montéal, Québec, Canada
- The Fifth World Congress will be a Presidential Symposium curated and featuring Founders Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Martin Seligman, David Cooperrider and current IPPA President, Barbara Fredrickson. Each will bring their own hand picked set of early-career scientists to share the stage at this eminent scholar event. Additional Conference Invited Speakers include: Melke Bartels, Ph.D., George Bonanno, Ph.D., Steve Cole, Ph.D., Angela Duckworth, Ph.D., Elissa Epel, Ph.D., Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph.D. and Tania Singer, Ph.D.
- See the 5th World Congress program and download a 5th World Congress Flyer!
2nd Western Positive Psychology Association Conference
January 21, 2017
Claremont Graduate University (CGU) and Western Positive Psychology Association (WPPA) brought our collaborative scientific community of faculty, students, and scholars together for the 2nd WPPA Conference on January 21, 2017 at CGU. Advancing and supporting rigorous, evidence-based empirical research in the science of happiness, excellence and optimal human and organizational functioning, we learned about the latest research from Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Jeanne Nakamura, Stewart Donaldson, Mike Warren, David Boyns, L. Johnson Davis, Meg Rao Warren, Richard Goerling, Zita Oravecz, Dana Wanzer, Kelly Chang, Annie Arcuri, Brittany Hite, Giacomo Bono, Li Li NanChang, Viviane Seyranian, T.L. Brink, Ericka Goerling, Shelly Harrell, Adam Jones, Tiffany Berry, Kendall Bronk, Jeffrey Yip, Jason Siegel followed by a student and collaborative faculty poster session and book signings by Stewart Donaldson, Kendall Bronk, Mashi Rahmani, Paul Zak, and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.
Please enjoy our photo documentary of the WPPA 2nd Conference 1.21.2017
Schedule of Events (click for PDF)
Our Positive Psychology for Societal Impact featured individual presentations, poster sessions, and Round Table discussions from researchers on topics:
- Positive Psychology in Work and Organizations
- Positive Development across the Life Span
- Positive Health, Well-Being, and Sports
- Theory and Methodology in Positive Psychology
- Positive Personality and Social Psychology
- Positive Psychology in Diverse Contexts
Supporting students in research is a primary goal of WPPA. For more ideas – Click Making an Appealing Conference Poster MW
Please join our WPPA community of positive psychology members to receive more updates. WPPA membership is free.
1st Western Positive Psychology Association (WPPA) Conference
September 5-7, 2014
Cutting edge talks were presented by Martin Seligman, Antonella Delle Fave, Howard Gardner, Hans Henrik Knoop, Jeanne Nakamura, Stewart Donaldson, & Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi!
For more information about our invited speakers, please go to A Celebration of Positive Psychology and for photos, visit a photo documentary at The Future of Positive Psychology Celebrating Csikszentmihalyi’s 80th Birthday .
Established in 2013, the 1st WPPA Conference brought together our western region scientific community of faculty, students, and scholars to share their latest rigorous, evidence based empirical research in the science of happiness, excellence and optimal function. Arriving from University of New Mexico (see photos above), University of Milano, Washington, Oregon, Illinois, Pennsylvania, California, Australia and many other universities, Stewart Donaldson, Antonella Della Fave and Shelly Harrell graciously opened our day of speakers, posters and events.
Faculty, grads, undergrads, or professionals joined our community learning about the latest research in Positive Psychology.
View photos at the 1st Western Positive Psychology Association Academic Conference
For updates on our events and growing community, please join our mailing list using the quick email sign-up form on the right.
We loved sharing the 1st WPPA Conference, September, 2014 where we
- Featured the world premier of North of Normal.
- Celebrated the 80th Birthday of Co-Founder of Positive Psychology – Professor Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi featuring world renowned leaders and,
- Hosted the 1st western region academic conference for our scientific community.
Cutting edge talks were presented by: Martin Seligman, Antonella Delle Fave, Howard Gardner, Hans Henrik Knoop, Jeanne Nakamura, Stewart Donaldson, & of course Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.
Saturday, Sept. 6th: The Future of Positive Psychology Celebrating Csikszentmihalyi’s – 80th Birthday:
Sunday, Sept. 7th: First Western Positive Psychology Association Academic Conference
The photos are free for your downloading and sharing. Your family, students, department, school, university, clients, even local newspapers may enjoy hearing about your professional work and of course, a picture is worth a thousand words. Help build our community by sharing photos and the good work being done.
For more information about our invited speakers, please visit
A Celebration of Positive Psychology
In 2013, doctoral students Angela Mouton and Monica Montijo embarked on a worldwide adventure asking people “what do you love?” and “what is your greatest passion?” and “what has been a peak experience in your life?” From outback Australia to South Africa to New Orleans, we enjoyed the world premiere screening of human experiences! See North of Normal trailer.
September 7th – We held the 1st Western Positive Psychology Association (WPPA) Academic Conference
Established in 2013, WPPA brought our western region scientific community of faculty, students, and scholars to share their latest rigorous, evidence based empirical research in the science of happiness, excellence and optimal function, plus more.
Invited faculty presented included Antonella Delle Fave – University of Milano, Giacomo Bono – California State University-Domnguez Hills, Bruce Smith – University of New Mexico, Karen Beard – Ohio State University, Jennifer T. Pedrotti, California Polytechnic State University, Zaynah Kahn – Bahria University, Somboon Jarukasemthawee, Chulalongkorn University, Rhona Slaughter-USC, and our Claremont Graduate University scholars Jeanne Nakamura, Kendall Cottn Bronk, Becky Reichard, Jason Siegel, Meghana Rao, Stewart Donaldson and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.
Faculty and students brought their latest research to share from New Mexico, Oregon, California, Illinois, Pennsylvania, University of Queensland, Florida, Italy, and more.
Whether you are faculty, grad, undergrad, or professional, you will join our community learning the latest research in Positive Psychology.
For updates on our events and growing community, please join our mailing list using the quick email sign-up form on the right.
2nd Canadian Conference on Positive Psychology
July 16-18, 2014 – Fairmont Chateau Laurier, Ottowa Canada
Keynote Speakers include: Sonja Lyubomirsky, Michael Steger, Tim Kasse
7th European Conference on Positive Psychology
July 1-4, 2014
The Trimbos Institute will be host ECPP7 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Registration is now open. For more information visit: http://www.enpp.eu/
Please drop by our WPPA Booth at the ECPP 2014 conference!
UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Gratitude Summit
June 7th, 2014
Craneway Conference Center, Richmond, CA
Keynote Speakers included: Brother David Steindl-Rast, Jack Kornfield, Robert Emmons, Ph.D., Teri McKeever, Wendy Berry Mendes, Ph.D., Ninpun Mehta, and Andrea Hussong, Ph.D..
Western Psychological Association
April 24-27, 2014
Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront, Portland, Oregon
Thanks to those of you for visiting our WPPA Booth at WPA.
A tremendous number of Positive Psychology studies, speakers, and symposia were shared with a ground-swell of enthusiasm for the work we are all doing. Our membership is growing rapidly.
WPA invited presentations by Stewart Donaldson titled My Last Lecture followed the next day with Criticisms and Strengths of Positive Psychology, both earning warm ovations. Noting the irony of his sequential talks, Dr. Donaldson welcomed standing-room only crowds, shared insights and hopes for Positive Psychology’s future.
Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Lasting Inner Strength and Peace
Nov 16, 2013 — International House, UC Berkeley Campus
With: Rick Hanson, Ph.D.
Claremont Professional Development Workshops
August 25-30, 2013 — Claremont, California
Hope you were able to attend the workshops.
American Psychological Association
July 31-August 4, 2013, — Honululu, Hawaii
“Feminist practice & our collective future: Exploring positive frameworks in social action & change.”
Hope you were able to visit our Booth #1120 at the APA Convention.
Third World Congress on Positive Psychology
June 27-30, 2013 — Westin Bonaventure, Los Angeles, CA
Our IPPA Symposium, Saturday morning, June 29, 2013, 9-10 AM, featured Jane Dutton, James Pawelski, Stewart Donaldson, Shari Kuchenbecker and Kerk Kee.
“Creating a positive academic community at your university: Serving incoming Millennials, Gen X, and Gen Y preparing for the future.”
Hope you were able to visit our Booth #202 at the Third World Congress Convention.
Western Psychological Association
April 25-28, 2013 — Grand Sierra, Reno, Nevada
“Teaching academic positive psychology: How psychology departments can better serve undergrad Millennials.”
Symposium featuring Stewart Donaldson
Hope you were able to visit our Booth #7 at the WPA Convention.