Mirin named new APA medical director

Steven M. Mirin, president and psychiatrist-in-chief of the Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital, has been selected as medical director of the 40,500-member American Psychiatric Association. Mirin is past president of the Massachusetts Psychiatric Society. He is also known for research on the biological and psychosocial aspects of substance use disorder. Mirin will assume this new position no later than Jan. 1, 1998.

Laffer of HMS appointed at Mount Auburn Hospital

Paul Laffer, psychiatrist at Mount Auburn Hospital and clinical instructor in psychiatry at the Medical School, has been appointed medical director of the Prevention and Recovery Center at Mount Auburn Hospital, which provides prevention, intervention, and treatment services for individuals and families experiencing problems with addiction. Laffer has been affiliated with the hospital since 1990 and also serves as psychopharmacologist for the hospital's Center for Problem Gambling.

Herzfeld delivers lecture on anthropology of Europe

Michael Herzfeld, professor of anthropology, recently delivered the inaugural Distinguished Lecture in European Anthropology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, on "The European Self: Rethinking an Attitude." The University of Massachusetts is known for its long tradition of teaching and research in the anthropology of Europe. Herzfeld's newest book, Cultural Intimacy: Social Poetics in the Nation-State, was recently released by Routledge.

Leadership Award presented to GSE's Baden

Clifford Baden, director of programs in professional education at the Graduate School of Education, has received a leadership award from the Association for Continuing Higher Education in recognition of extraordinary contributions to continuing higher education on a national or international level. Baden is responsible for the design and management of a variety of professional development programs for administration at all levels of education. He has designed and led workshops on case-method teaching for educators, and since 1984 he has served as director of Harvard's Institute for Management of Lifelong Education (MLE), applying principles of adult education to a professional development program serving administrators around the world.