Fisher Named Marie Ward Doty Chair

Celia B. Fisher, Ph.D., professor of psychology and director of the Center for Ethics Education, has been named to the Marie Ward Doty Chair. The endowed chair was made possible by a generous contribution from George (FCO ’38) and Marie Doty.

“Since their inception more than 500 years ago, endowed chairs have characterized great universities,” said John Hollwitz, Ph.D., vice president for academic affairs. “Dr. Fisher is renowned for her achievements in psychology and ethics. Her work honors George and Marie Doty, whose generosity directly benefits our students now and will for many years to come.”

An installation ceremony and lecture is scheduled for Nov. 12. The lecture titled “Wisdom, Learning and Justice in Healthcare Research” is part of the Sapientia et Doctrina lecture series. It will be presented by Fisher and will kick off the Center for Ethics Education lecture series.

Fisher has been a leader in developing ethical standards for the practice and research of psychology and federal guidelines for the protection of vulnerable populations in psychological research. Secretary of Health Tommy Thompson appointed her to the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Human Subjects Protections (SACHRP). She also serves on the Institute of Medicine Committee for Clinical Research Involving Children and on the Ethics Working Group for the National Children’s Study, a consortium of federal agencies to examine environmental influences on the health and development of more than 100,000 children across the United States.

From 1992 through 2003, Fisher headed the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Ethics Code Revision Task Force responsible for the 2002 Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct. She received an APA Presidential Commendation for her work on the task force. Last summer, she published a book titled Decoding the Ethics Code: A Practical Guide for Psychologists (Sage Publications, 2003), a step-by-step guide to understanding the new code.

As director of the Center for Ethics Education, Fisher prepares students and professionals to effectively apply empirical knowledge of human psychological functioning to moral inquiries into healthcare ethics and policy. She has co-edited five books and authored more than 100 scholarly chapters and empirical articles on cognitive and social development across the lifespan, and scientific and professional ethics. During the 2002-2003 academic year, she served as the Yale University Bioethicist-in-Residence.

Fordham University’s motto, Sapientia et Doctrina (Wisdom and Learning), emphasizes rigorous scholarship and embraces a community of men and women committed to exploring the life of the mind. In this spirit, a lecture series celebrating the inauguration of the 32nd president of Fordham University, Joseph M. McShane, S.J., has been established.

— Michele Snipe

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