(Alexandria, Va. – June 16, 2008) – During the American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) 99th Annual Conference, Evolving Technology: Impact on Individuals, Families and Communities, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, June 19 - 22, 2008, experts in education, personal finance, health and wellness, human development, food and nutrition, and other areas of family and consumer sciences (FCS) will present strategies to help individuals, families, and communities reap the benefits of technology while avoiding potential dangers and risks.  They will also participate in special activities to kick off AAFCS’ centennial celebration, and outstanding members, students, and FCS organizations will be honored with awards, including Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin-based Nasco, recipient of the association's Friend of the Family Award.

Hundreds of professionals and students in family and consumer sciences and allied fields from across the U.S. will convene at the Midwest Airlines Center and Hilton Milwaukee City Center in Milwaukee for the AAFCS conference.  The meeting will feature well-known technology experts and a variety of educational sessions on technology-related topics, such as decreasing cyber-bullying, raising media savvy children in the digital age, incorporating technology into the classroom, using body scanning to improve apparel sizing, and understanding the effects of modern food biotechnology on health and nutrition. 

Dr. Douglas Gentile, assistant professor of psychology at Iowa State University and director of research at the National Institute on Media and the Family, will keynote the Opening General Session on June 19th with “Not ‘As Seen on TV’—The Truth About Media's Effects on Children.”  On Friday, June 20th, conference participants will learn from Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach, adjunct instructor of educational technology at The College of William and Mary, during her presentation, “21st Century Learners: Hi-Tech Collaboration.”  Dr. Helen Lane, chief nutritionist and manager, University Research and Affairs, NASA Johnson Space Center, will present “Connecting Space Flight and Tomorrow's Consumer” during the Centennial Pacesetter Dinner on Saturday, June 21st. 

With more than 40 exhibitors in the Expo, attendees can discover the latest FCS products and services at the exhibit booths, participate in exhibitor learning labs, and watch cooking demonstrations by Celebrity Chef Jon Ashton.  As a special note, five of AAFCS’ exhibitors have exhibited for at least 40 years, and 16 of AAFCS’ exhibitors have been participating in the Expo for more than 15 years.  The Expo also offers research poster sessions by students and professionals as well as an AAFCS affiliate wall of history to commemorate AAFCS’ centennial.

About AAFCS
Founded in 1909 by Ellen Swallow Richards, the first woman graduate and professor of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), AAFCS is the only national nonprofit organization that provides leadership and support to FCS students and professionals across multiple practice settings.  FCS professionals help individuals, families, and communities make informed decisions about their well-being, relationships, and resources to achieve optimal quality of life.  AAFCS’ 7,000 members are elementary, secondary, and post-secondary educators, researchers, and administrators; Cooperative Extension educators; and other professionals in business and industry, not-for-profit organizations, and government.  These professionals provide research and applied knowledge in the areas of personal finance, child development and parenting, consumer education, housing and environment, apparel and textiles, and dietetics and nutrition.  With national headquarters based in Alexandria, Va., AAFCS has 52 affiliates located across the United States and Puerto Rico.

For more information or to schedule an interview, contact Gwynn Mason at 703-706-4600, ext. 4621 or gmason@aafcs.org.