Downs International Health Student Travel Fellowship

Kaveh Khoshnood, PhD, LEPH 405, 60 College Street

The Downs International Health Student Travel Fellowship honors Wilbur G. Downs (1913 - 1991), M.D., M.P.H., Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University School of Medicine, renowned physician/scientist in the fields of tropical medicine and infectious diseases, mentor to many students and colleagues. The Fellowship supports Yale students who undertake biomedical, medical, nursing and/or public health research in developing countries. The Committee on International Health (CIH) awards Downs Fellowships based on merit.

Downs Fellows carry out research in the context of their host countries’ culture, health problems and resources. The Fellowship provides funds for transportation to and from overseas project sites, cost of visas, site-specific drugs, immunizations, evacuation insurance and a modest stipend. Although students may initiate projects, Yale faculty members provide intellectual support, practical assistance and links with host-country sponsors who serve as mentors during the Fellows time abroad. The choice of research topic and methodological detail are joint responsibilities of applicants and advisors. Any member of the Yale faculty may sponsor applicants. Downs Fellows present their research findings and experiences at the Annual CIH Fall Symposium and Poster Session. Most Fellows further develop their studies into a thesis or dissertation.

Fellowship Program Support

Foresight and generosity led Dr. Downs to create an endowment that supports student travel and research abroad. Annual donations from his family, friends and colleagues, and the abiding interest and support of the administration and faculty nurture the growth and remarkable success of the Fellowship. Yearly contributions from Alumni Downs Fellows, The Hartley Foundation, the Waksman Foundation for Microbiology, and matching funds from the Dean of Medicine permit the CIH to award as many as 15 fellowships a year. Additional support for Downs Fellows comes from the Yale School of Medicine Office of Student Research, host institutions, national and international sponsors. A worldwide network of researchers, some of whom are established collaborators in research with members of the Yale faculty, provides logistical, intellectual, and cultural guidance for Downs Fellows. Investigators overseas who advise Downs Fellows add critical strength and vitality to the program.

If you’re currently a Yale Student and would like more information on the Downs Fellowship or are interested in participating, please contact Adrianna Mironick.