Cognitive Science Researcher Establishes UC San Diego’s First Endowed Fellowship in the Field
A generous planned gift from Susan Chipman will establish an endowed fellowship to support cognitive science graduate students.
Susan Chipman, a pioneer in the field of cognitive science, has pledged a $1 million planned gift to the UC San Diego’s Department of Cognitive Science. Chipman, a fellow of both the American Psychological Association and the American Psychological Society is also an honorary lifetime member of the Cognitive Science Society in recognition of her contributions to the field.
The fellowship bears Chipman’s name as well as that of her late brother, Robert G. Fitzgerald, a systems programmer. According to Chipman, a significant financial legacy from her brother was an important factor in her ability to make a fellowship donation. “An endowed graduate fellowship in cognitive science provides a meaningful way to continue the emphasis of my lifelong career into the future,” she reflected.
The Susan E.F. Chipman and Robert G. Fitzgerald Graduate Fellowship Fund in Cognitive Science, the first of its kind in the department, will provide support in perpetuity for doctoral students pursuing a degree in cognitive science. Both Susan Chipman and her husband, Eric Chipman, an astronomer, received fellowship support while earning their graduate degrees at Harvard University. With their deep understanding of the impact of fellowships, the couple wishes to provide similar opportunities for future graduate students.
"UC San Diego is home to one of the top cognitive science programs in the country,” said Chipman. “Over the years of my career, I was consistently impressed with the program at UC San Diego and the work by its faculty, students and alumni. For that reason, I am pleased to make this gift to support the future leaders and trailblazers in the field of cognitive science.”
