A letter from our president, Dr. Beaty

I’m very grateful for the opportunity to serve as president of our society. I want to thank Indre Viskontas for her leadership and contributions to SfNC, along with the many people who have helped build the society into what it is today.

SfNC has been an important part of my life for many years—not only as a place to share research, but as a place where I’ve found colleagues and collaborators. I became involved with the society relatively early in my career, and it’s been incredibly rewarding to see how much it has grown while maintaining a strong sense of community.

As president, I’m excited to help SfNC continue to grow. I’d like our society to be a place where researchers and practitioners across academia, industry, education, and the arts can connect and learn from each other, while expanding the range of perspectives represented in the society.

As creativity research continues to gain visibility, I think SfNC has an important role to play in promoting rigorous research and best practices. Several exciting collaborative initiatives are already underway, including the Creativity Definitions and Ontology projects, which are bringing researchers together to build greater clarity and consensus around how we define and study creativity. Our society’s journal, Creativity Research Journal, is another important part of this effort, providing an outlet for high-quality research from SfNC members and beyond. I’d like us to continue building on these efforts and help set a high standard for the field.

Our annual meeting is the main event of our society, but I’d also like SfNC to be active throughout the year—creating more ways for members to build collaborations, develop professionally, and help shape where the field goes next. More broadly, I hope SfNC membership continues to provide valuable opportunities for all of our members, particularly students and trainees. It’s a privilege for me to help lead this society forward with you all, and I’m excited for the years ahead.

Roger Beaty, PhD.

Penn State University

August, 2026