Here are 483 retirement messages from some of your colleagues:


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Dear Phil,

Congratulations on your retirement! Now its time to go to work.

Sincerely, I appreciate all your support and advice. It has been a real treat working with you, and I look forward to a long, productive association in the years yet to come. Remember, old psychologists never retire, they just learn to work for free.

Best,

Larry Beutler
PGSP
United States

Very few persons in my life have had such an impact on me. Phil made me to come to Stanford in the first place. He and the other Stanford professors fostered my love for psychology -- a theme that runs through Phil's entire live. I am grateful to have him as teacher, mentor, and friend.

A personal note. When I came back to Stanford from Germany after the first summer, I found a letter in my mailbox. It contained a personal cheque from Phil. He wrote "Gunter -- wish you all the best for your second year in our department. Enclosed are some $$ -- you may need it as you have a family to care for. Later I may ask you for some help." Well, Phil never asked me for any comepensation. It was rather me who asked him for his continued guidance and help.

Phil, I hope you do not retire completely. Do you continue to teach Psych 1?

With great admiration, your student, colleague, and friend,

Günter Bierbrauer
Germany

Dear Phil:

Congratulations on your wonderful career and your much-deserved retirement! Thanks for all your tireless efforts on behalf of the field -- in terms of research, scholarship, teaching, and leadership. I'm sure we'll continue to hear from you; best of luck in your new ventures and adventures.

Monica Biernat
University of Kansas
United States

From a relatively new social psychologist--

People like you are responsible for turning me onto social psychology several years ago. Thank you for being an inspiration.

Best wishes for your retirement!

Laura Billings
Southwestern Illinois College
United States

Phil,

Congratulations on your retirement!

It sure was a pleasure to serve on the Council of Representatives during your APA presidency. Thanks for being so supportive of the multicultural initiatives and the Summit. And it was great fun dancing (and dipping) with you during the celebration of the installation of Dr. Norman Anderson as the CEO of APA. You've served the profession well!

Rosie Phillips Bingham
The University of Memphis
United States

Dear Dr. Zimbardo--

Thank you so much for all that you have done for teachers of psychology. All my students feel as if they know you -- they have seen you in Discovering Psychology and in the Monitor -- you have made a real impact in so many important ways, not the least of which is that students feel as if they know one of the most famous psychologists that has ever lived. What great work you have done! Thank you so much.

Jeanne Blakeslee
St. Paul's School for Girls
United States

Phil,

Retire? A dynamo like you--I will believe it when I see it! Actually, I think, as the creative teacher that you are, you are using your own behavior to demonstate one of the classic dilemmas of social behavior--that there is often a wide gap between intentions and actions.

But seriously, Phil, you have been a role model for a couple of generations of social psychologists, including me. You have done innovative research that has social consequences while at the same time "giving psychology" away to thousands through your textbooks and films.

With all my best wishes,

Thomas Blass
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
United States

Best wishes on your retirement -- which, I suspect, might not be overly retiring. And thank you for the superb research and unparalleled publicizing of psychological knowledge and its humanizing applications!!

Herb Blumberg
Goldsmiths College, University of London
United Kingdom

Phil,

Your energy and drive are amazing, and you continue to be a remarkable source of inspiration to all the rest of us.

Most importantly, you might recall the definition of what "semi-retired" means: namely, that we all still will work very hard, but we work when we like, and don't work with people who aggravate or upset us.

Love,
BB

Bruce Bongar
PGSP-Stanford Psy.D.
United States

Phil,

Say it ain't so! Your contributions to the health and well-being of all of psychology, not just those of us who labor in the social psychological trenches, have been sustained and enormous. You have been and I hope will continue to be a forceful "presence" in the field. Tis OK to catch a few more lattes or shlurps of vino on a daily basis now than the rest of us. Just keep up the "presence" factor, my friend. All the best at this transition.

Gene Borgida
University of Minnesota
United States


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