Reminiscences of Roger G. H. Downer : oral history, 2007.

Biographical Note

President and Vice-Chancellor, University of Limerick.

Scope and Contents

Background: Born (1942) Belfast, only child of working-class Protestant family, very active in sports; English father, telephone engineer; Irish mother, active in church; education: BA and MA, zoology, Queens University; Ph.D., zoology, University of Western Ontario; career: high school teacher of science and rugby; professor at University of Waterloo, Hokkaido University, and Oxford University; Vice-President of University of Waterloo; President of Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok, Thailand; President of University of Limerick [UL]; consultant and lecturer; Atlantic Philanthropies [AP]: meeting with Charles F. Feeney in 1998, recounting of conversations and meetings with Charles F. Feeney; recounting of problems and solutions around fundraising in early years at UL, building of research programs, collaboration with industrial partners, description and critique of Program for Research in Third Level Institutes, collaboration between universities on research; consideration of various funding programs including AP, description of AP's involvement with UL and affect of AP support on UL, development of physical facilities at UL, interaction with AP after cessation of grant making activity in Ireland; change in fundraising culture in Ireland; description of trip to Cuba with AP and meetings with Fidel Castro; involvement with the Irish Peace Institute; involvement with creation of Medical School at UL; thoughts on different types of philanthropic organizations.

Subjects

• Atlantic Philanthropies (Organization)
• Downer, Roger G. H.--Interviews.
• Educational fund raising--Ireland.
• Interviews.
• Oral histories (literary works)
• Starecheski, Amy, interviewer.--http://id.loc.gov/vocabulary/relators/ivr
• University of Limerick--Presidents--Interviews.

Access Conditions

Copyright held by: The Trustees of Columbia University of the City of New York and The Atlantic Philanthropies, 2007.