The Harold Basowitz Endowed Lectureship in Psychology

The Harold Basowitz Endowed Lectureship in Psychology was established in 1998 by Dr. Irving Alexander to honor the memory of his lifelong friend, Dr. Harold Basowitz.

Harold Basowitz and Irving Alexander grew up in the same Manhattan neighborhood and enrolled together at UA in 1941 as undergraduate students. They both served in World War II and returned to UA to complete their bachelor’s degrees, which they received in 1947. Basowitz and Alexander then both completed PhDs in psychology at Princeton University. Basowitz spent most of his academic career at New York University, whereas Alexander was at Duke; however, they remained close friends.

Basowitz is best known for his research on anxiety and stress and for his administrative skills. A natural leader, he engendered trust and was attentive to the needs of others. He died in 2000 at age 79, and that year the Basowitz lectureship was established. Each year, an expert from the field of personality or psychopathology is invited to speak at UA in honor of Dr. Basowitz. The lecture is typically scheduled for the fall semester.