Here are 483 retirement messages from some of your colleagues:


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Hi Phil,

I truly enjoyed our day at PGCC last March and have enjoyed bringing your message to so many students through your books. Keep writing...I have a mortgage. Call if you come to D.C.

You are the best,

Jerry Higgins
Allyn and Bacon
United States

Congratulations Phil! I remember fondly the first time I saw you -- cape and all -- at a talk you gave at Columbia when I was a graduate student (over 30 years ago). Even then you were called "The Great Zimbardo" by everyone. Amazingly, you have remained "The Great Zimbardo," but the cape has become superfluous! I especially admire your championing social psychology to the public as an exciting and important science. More personally, I have always enjoyed and remembered our conversations together. As just one example, you were the first to suggest to me that Prevention might have a longer temporal construal than Promotion (because it is concerned with duties and obligations relating to going to heaven or hell). I hope we have more opportunities to talk about psychology and life.

Again, congratulations to the Great One!

Tory Higgins
Columbia University
United States

I appreciate your many contributions to the field of psychology, and your efforts to use psychological research to inform us about social issues. I hope to keep seeing you at psychology conferences!

Chuck Hill
Whittier College
United States

Dear Phil,

Congratulations on your retirement! I hope your retirement gives you the freedom to pursue new goals and find even greater joy.

I am so grateful for having the opportunity of working with you. I have a great appreciation for all that you have given me. Even though we have probably shared only a small part of your professional life, you have shown me something *no other* psychologist of your stature has shown -- you walk the walk. You do not *just* write brilliant essays or teach great classes or conduct some of the most creative research around -- oh no. You live what you know.

I have always felt that your way of being was different from that of other famous psychologists of your caliber. In my view that is because you apply your understanding of human experience in your relationships with others....there are so many who are smart, productive, etc. But no one in my book can compare to you. You *really* know and use your wisdom about the human psyche in your life. You have an infectious enthusiasm, honesty, integrity, and caring that goes *far* beyond your peers. I thank you for being that role model.

Walking the walk after you talk the talk is often a hard thing to do. But you do it. And I thank you for being who you are.

I wish only the best to come with greater freedom and more time to use your brilliance to make this world a better place. You are the kind of psychologist and person who can do that. Enjoy!

Love and admiration,

Alison Holman
University of California, Irvine
United States

Dear Dr Z,

The entire Navy is in debt to all that your research has illuminated about human behavior.

What we teach at the Naval Academy is inspired by your hard work and dedication to unraveling the unknown in social psychology.

Thank you is not enough. If I could give you a Navy retirement, you would be "piped ashore," given an eight bell salute, and a medal honoring your service to our country!

All the best to you and your family.

Betsy Holmes
United States Naval Academy
United States

Phil;

It is such a pleasure to know you and to work with you. I have worked with many APA presidents since being here, and I have found you to be the most caring, genuine, and sincere. You are a natural leader and an exellent educator.

On behalf of the APA staff, I want to thank you for all the time you spent teaching them about psychology. They loved to attend your lectures and found them informative and entertaining. It was amazing how frequently I heard them talk about your lectures for days afterward.

I know you say you are retiring, but I doubt that...you are just changing the direction of your energies.

It will always be an honor to share your birthday!

Michael Honaker
American Psychological Association
United States

Dear Dr. Zimbardo,

Many thanks for the exciting contributions you have made to social psychology and for the courage you've displayed in asking attention for the results of your not-so-everyday prison experiment!

I cherish the memory of Jef Nuttin's retirement party back in 1998 when I had the privilege to enjoy your company and to talk with you about your research. Each time I tell my students about your work I feel privileged having heard you talk about it yourself...

I don't know much about retiring, but I do have one piece of advice: keep enjoying life!

Vera Hoorens
Leuven University
Belgium

A great new development in a great career! Thanks for all the contributions to our field and for the leadership and friendship. Warm regards, Andy

Arthur Horne
University of Georgia & APA Division 49
United States

Dr. Zimbardo,

Health and happiness are your rewards for such an enduring and influential career. I have been following your career since my undergraduate days as a psychology major at the University of New Hampshire. I have incorporated many of your ideas, experiments, lesson plans, and videos into my psychology curriculum. Thirty years later I believe that I am still delivering a message for Psychology that is able to withstand the Zimbardo test for enthusiasm and zeal for the field.

Thank you for you inspiration. I know my former students are inluenced by you, but more importantly, my future students will be as well. Your influence is far greater than you may humbly realize.

Stephen Houle
Manchester High School West
United States

Your zeal for our discipline and commitment to "giving psychology away" have been an inspiration to me.

Rick Hoyle
Duke University
United States


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