On June 30, 2020, Dr. Ann Downer retired from her post as the Executive Director of the International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH) at the University of Washington (UW).

Downer has had a 31-year career at UW; she founded I-TECH 18 years ago with a talented team of global health professionals at UW, along with her friend and colleague Dr. Michael Reyes, at the University of California, San Francisco. In that time, she has been the center’s trusted leader; a principal investigator for several awards; and a pioneering educator, mentor, and friend.

It’s virtually certain that 2020 will be on the top five list of hottest years on record for the planet, according to atmospheric scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In a briefing, NOAA officials announced their three-month outlook for this summer, with above average temperatures expected across almost all of the United States. The likelihood of excessive heat is highest in the West and Northeast.

The Department of Global Health’s mission to improve health for all through research, education, training, and service is exemplified each year by the department’s students, five of whom were recently named the 2020 Outstanding Students in Global Health. The Outstanding Student Awards recognizes Master’s, PhD, and medical students who embody DGH’s mission while creating tangible, positive outcomes in the field of global health.