In an emotional announcement at Columbia’s Low Library, beloved actor and Parkinson’s advocate Michael J. Fox was named the university’s inaugural Professor of Optimism and Resilience—a first-of-its-kind position bridging neuroscience, philosophy, and lived experience. The Back to the Future star, 62, received a standing ovation as he joked, “Turns out you don’t need a PhD when life gives you a masterclass in getting back up.” The role will see him lead seminars on hope as a “cognitive discipline” and mentor students facing adversity
The unconventional appointment was spearheaded by Columbia’s neurology department, inspired by Fox’s decades of Parkinson’s research advocacy. “Michael’s work proves optimism isn’t naivete—it’s a revolutionary act,” said University President Minouche Shafik. His “Fox Fellows” program will fund studies on neuroplasticity and trauma recovery, with a quirky twist: final projects must include “one impractical idea that makes the world more joyful.”
Hollywood and academia collided in the reactions. Stephen Colbert tweeted “Finally, a professor who’ll give A’s for time-travel essays,” while Dr. Sanjay Gupta called it “the missing link between brain science and human spirit.” Even Fox’s Family Ties co-star Meredith Baxter shared a throwback clip with the caption “Alex P. Keaton just became the most inspiring teacher.”
Fox’s first lecture—“Back to the Future: Building Tomorrow With Today’s Hope”—kicks off this fall. True to form, he ended the announcement by quipping, “Office hours include laughing at bad jokes and plotting how to outsmart fate.” The line brought down the house—proving once again that life, like his career, needs no sequel.