V. Mark Durand is known worldwide as an authority in the area of autism spectrum disorder. He is professor of psychology at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, where he was the founding Dean of Arts & Sciences and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. He has received more than $4 million in federal funding since the beginning of his career. Dr. Durand is currently a member of the Professional Advisory Board for the Autism Society of America and was co-editor of the Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, and has more than 125 publications. His books include two textbooks on abnormal psychology that have been translated into 10 languages and used in more than 1,000 universities world-wide. His other books include the multiple national award winning Optimistic Parenting: Hope and Help for You and Your Challenging Child, and most recently, Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Clinical Guide for General Practitioners. He was named a 2014 Princeton Lecture Series Fellow and received the 2015 Jacobson Award for Critical Thinking from the American Psychological Association for his body of work in the field of autism spectrum disorder. Starting January 2017, Dr. Durand will serve as President-Elect Designate of Division 33 in the American Psychological Association. The division is focused on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities/Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).  The three-year position will entail serving as President-Elect Designate the first year, President-Elect in 2018, and President in 2019.