Organization has named several awards after famed psychologist

Raymond Fowler, a former psychologist who led the American Psychological Association for 14 years, died Tuesday at age 84. A cause of death was not provided.

Fowler was elected president of APA by the organization's membership in 1988. The following year he joined the staff of APA as EVP and CEO, a position he would hold until 2003.

APA had established several awards in his name. The annual Raymond D. Fowler Award for Outstanding Contributions to APA was created in 2004 to recognize an APA member who has had a significant and enduring impact on the organization. Fowler was the first recipient.

"The field has lost a great leader, who was an inspiration and role model to psychologists around the world," said Norman Anderson, who succeeded Fowler as CEO. "Ray's lifelong dedication to psychology was deep, and his imprint on the American Psychological Association, and on the growth of the field internationally, are incomparable."

Fowler received his Ph.D. in psychology from Pennsylvania State University in 1957. He joined the faculty of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa in 1956, becoming head of psychology department nine years later. He would remain in the position until 1986, when he stepped down and was named professor emeritus. He published more than 70 articles, books, chapters and other publications, mostly in the areas of substance abuse, criminal behavior and personality assessment, according to APA. He pioneered the development of programs to reduce juvenile delinquency and classification systems for juvenile justice and prison programs.

In addition to his work with psychology organizations, Fowler was a chapter president of the American Association of University Professors, chair of the Southern School of Alcohol Studies and a director of the Alcohol and Drug Problems Association of North America. He also was vice president of the Council on Human Relations, the first biracial human rights group in Alabama.