Roger G. H. Downer (21 December 1942 – 19 November 2022) was an Irish educator, scientist, and writer who held a number of non-executive positions on private and public sector boards. He was a president emeritus at the
University of Limerick
The University of Limerick (UL) ( ga, Ollscoil Luimnigh) is a Public university, public research university institution in Limerick, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Founded in 1972 as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick, it beca ...
and a distinguished professor emeritus at the
University of Waterloo
The University of Waterloo (UWaterloo, UW, or Waterloo) is a public research university with a main campus in Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo is a city in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is one of three cities in the Regional Municipality ...
.
Early life and education
Downer was born in
Belfast
Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdo ...
on 21 December 1942 to Leslie and Edith Downer. He was educated at the
Methodist College Belfast
God with us
, established = 1865
, type = Voluntary grammar
, religion = Interdenominational
, principal = Jenny Lendrum
, chair_label = Chairwoman
, chair = Revd. Dr Janet Unsworth
, founder ...
,
Queen's University Belfast
, mottoeng = For so much, what shall we give back?
, top_free_label =
, top_free =
, top_free_label1 =
, top_free1 =
, top_free_label2 =
, top_free2 =
, established =
, closed =
, type = Public research university
, parent = ...
(B.Sc. 1963, M.Sc., 1967, D.Sc. 1984) and
University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario (UWO), also known as Western University or Western, is a Public university, public research university in London, Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land, surrounded by resident ...
(Ph.D. 1970).
Education
Downer married Jean Taylor, a physiotherapist, on 2 April 1966. They had three children, Kevin, Kathleen and Tara, and eight grandchildren.
Downer died on 19 November 2022, at the age of 79.
Career
Academic
Downer spent most of his academic career at the University of Waterloo, where he held successively the positions of assistant professor, associate professor and professor of biology and was cross-appointed to the Department of Chemistry. He spent sabbatical leaves at the Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, and the Department of Biochemistry, Oxford University.
During his tenure at the University of Waterloo, Professor Downer was an early recipient of the university's annual Distinguished Teacher Award.
Downer was the author or co-author of 164 scientific papers and/or chapters, and editor or co-editor of four books. Thirty-eight postgraduate students or post-doctoral researchers studied in his laboratory. The primary thrust of his research was directed towards an understanding of the biochemistry and physiology of insects and resulted in his consulting with a number of multinational agrichemical companies in the general area of insecticide discovery.
Academic leadership
At the University of Waterloo, Downer was head of the Department of Biology, as well as acting dean of science, and vice-president, external, and he has served also as president and chief executive,
Asian Institute of Technology
The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), founded in 1959, is an Intergovernmental organization, international organization for higher education situated 40km north of Bangkok, Thailand. It specializes in engineering, technology, advanced technol ...
(1996-1998); president and vice-chancellor,
University of Limerick
The University of Limerick (UL) ( ga, Ollscoil Luimnigh) is a Public university, public research university institution in Limerick, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Founded in 1972 as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick, it beca ...
(1998-2006). During his tenure at the University of Limerick, there was marked increase in student numbers and research productivity (postgraduate student numbers, research income and research output), he oversaw substantial physical expansion of the university and a new postgraduate entry medical school was announced one month after his retirement.
Other senior leadership roles include: chair, Canadian Heads of University Biology Departments; president, Canadian Society of Zoologists; vice-president, Biological Council of Canada; vice-president, Huntsman Marine Biology Laboratory; chair, Council of Heads of Irish Universities; co-founder and co-chair, Irish Universities Association; member of council of European Universities Association; chair, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Grant Selection Committee in Zoology; chair, NSERC Grant Selection Committee in Food and Agriculture; member National Science Foundation Grant Selection Committee in Regulatory Biology; chair of numerous institutional and disciplinary review committees in North America, Asia and Europe; member of Quality Assessment panels in North America and Europe; chair, Planning Committee for establishment of University of Luxembourg.
Non-executive appointments
Downer has served as non-executive director of Westaim Corporation,
Westaim Press Release
/ref> Nucryst Pharmaceuticals, Shannon Development Corporation, Waterloo Economic Development Committee, Canadian Clay and Glass Museum, JF Kennedy Foundation, Irish Peace Institute (Chair), National Portrait Collection (Chair), Birr Scientific and Heritage Foundation (Chair), Hunt Museum (Chair), Munster Rugby Board (Chair), Foynes Flying Boat Museum, Irish Rugby Players Association Player Services Council, UL Bohemians Rugby Football Club (co-president), Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership, Irish Red Cross
The Irish Red Cross Society (IRCS; also Irish Red Cross or IRC; ga, Crois Dhearg na hÉireann) is the National Red Cross Society for the Republic of Ireland. (Northern Ireland comes under the aegis of the British Red Cross.) The society was f ...
, Washington Ireland Programme, JP McManus All Ireland Scholarships, Royal Irish Academy
The Royal Irish Academy (RIA; ga, Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann), based in Dublin, is an academic body that promotes study in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is Ireland's premier List of Irish learned societies, learned socie ...
(Senior Vice-president).
Awards and honours
FEJ Fry Gold medal of Canadian Society of Zoologists, Gold medal of Entomological Society of Canada, Doctor of Science (''honoris causa'') University of Waterloo, Doctor of Laws (''honoris causa''), Queens University of Belfast, Fellow of Royal Society of Canada, Member of the Royal Irish Academy. A collection of Professor Downer's speeches as president of the University of Limerick "Reflections from the Shannon" (Wordwell Press, 2007) was published at the time of his retirement.
References
External links
Royal Irish Academy
Irish Times Profile
Notice of Appointment, Irish Times, 15 May 1998
Notice of Appointment, Irish Times, 19 May 1998
Notice of Resignation, Irish Times, 25 April 2006
Book Review, 2 June 2007
Honorary Degree Citation, Queen's University Belfast, 2003
Washington Ireland Programme
{{DEFAULTSORT:Downer, Roger
1942 births
2022 deaths
Academics from Northern Ireland
Writers from Belfast
University of Western Ontario alumni
Alumni of Queen's University Belfast
People educated at Methodist College Belfast
Male non-fiction writers from Northern Ireland
21st-century writers from Northern Ireland
Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada
Members of the Royal Irish Academy
Presidents of the University of Limerick