On September 19th, 2012 the Alberti Center for Bullying Abuse Prevention held its annual conference titled "Understanding and Addressing Cyberbullying" at the Millennium Hotel in Cheektowaga, NY. Over 200 educators, law enforcement officers, administrators, and students were in attendance at the conference, which addressed current research in the field of Cyberbullying and expert opinions on a variety of topics aligned with bullying, as well as the Dignity for all Students Act.

Leading expert in the field of cyberbullying, Sameer Hinduja, Ph.D., is the co-director at the Cyberbullying Research Center and associate professor of criminology and criminal justice at Florida Atlantic University. Dr. Hinduja opened the conference as the keynote presenter and led conference attendees through an in-depth discussion of cyberbullying myths, truths, and prevention/intervention strategies. He engaged the audience by encouraging the use of technology via voting on cyberbullying perceptions through text message, and his session was rated by those in attendance as "great," "engaging," and "inspiring." 

Following a delicious lunch catered by the Millennium Hotel, a cyberbullying panel discussion featuring distinguished community experts in the fields of law enforcement, law, education, and administration was moderated by assistant news director for WBFO 88.7, Eileen Buckley. The panel fielded questions pertaining to educational, mental health, and legal perspectives of cyberbullying in the community and schools. They also offered their perspectives on best practices in schools regarding bullying prevention/intervention, as well as their thoughts on the legal consequences of bullying and harassment. Attendees reported that they enjoyed receiving specific tools and strategies that they could implement in their schools. 

Overall, those in attendance reported that the conference was a very important and informative event. A large majority (98%) of attendees reported that they would attend the conference next year and found the experience to be meaningful and relevant. We at the Alberti Center for Bullying Abuse Prevention would like to thank everyone for their support and interest, and look forward to holding another successful conference next year!