The Asian Institute of Technology expresses our heartfelt condolences on the passing away of former AIT President Professor Roger G. Downer.
Prof. Downer passed away peacefully on 19 November 2022, at the age of 79, in Ireland. He was AIT’s fifth President and served from 1996 to 1998. After leaving AIT, Prof. Downer held the position of President and Vice-Chancellor at the University of Limerick in Ireland from 1998 to 2006.
Prof. Downer received his tertiary level education at Queens University, Belfast (B.Sc., M.Sc., D.Sc.) and the University of Western Ontario (Ph.D.) in Canada.
He is the recipient of numerous awards and honors. His membership includes Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and Royal Irish Academy. Prof. Downer also received the honorary degree of LL.D. (Belfast) and D.Sc. (University of Waterloo) and the FRJ Fry Gold Medal and ESC Gold Medal.
He also served in various academic and professional capacities, including as a professor of Biology and Chemistry and Vice-President at the University of Waterloo, Canada, President of the Canadian Society of Zoologists, Vice-Chair at the Biological Council of Canada and Chair of the NSERC Grant Selection Committees in Biology and Food and Agriculture.
Prof. Downer was a Member of the NSF (USA) Grant Selection Panel in Regulatory Biology. He was the Chair of the Birr Scientific Foundation; Munster Rugby Board; National Self-Portrait Collection; John and Gertrude Hunt Museum, Limerick, and IRFU, Education Committee. He was a member of the Executive Council, Irish Red Cross and Non-Executive Director of Nucryst Pharmaceutical Corporation, Westaim Corporation, Shannon Development, and the Limerick Enterprise Development Board.
Professor Downer’s last visit to AIT was in September 2008 during which he delivered an extramural lecture titled “Towards environmental and socioeconomic sustainability: A vital role for AIT”.
The Asian Institute of Technology expresses its heartfelt condolences to Professor Downer’s wife, Mrs. Jean Downer and members of the family.
