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DOWNING COLLEGE ASSOCIATIONreception at the China Club. In a hot and steamy June, during one of myfrequent trips to the Society for Neuroscience in Washington, I took theopportunity, together with a delegation from Downing (Richard Stibbs, SusanLintott, and Gabrielle Bennett) to visit the Charlottesville campus of theUniversity of Virginia. We stayed in the Colonnade, built by Thomas Jeffersonin the neoclassical style that is so similar to Downing’s, and held a receptionfor our Thomas Jefferson Fellows, who have been visiting Downing every yearsince 1978. This was followed by a reception and dinner for alumni in NewYork. The Donors’ Garden Party for some 150 guests, who have all generouslysupported the College, was held on the Saturday of May Week, and finally,there was a superb reunion lunch for 1979 matriculands, who are as quiet andsedate as ever. It is always a pleasure to meet alumni and to learn of the variedand successful careers and lives that followed their time as undergraduates orgraduates in the College. Do please watch for announcements of alumni eventsand do come along if you can.There will of course be big changes on the domestic front in the year ahead.Jane and I will move out of the Lodge, which has been a wonderful home for thelast 9 years. We have taken the step to sell our own house and so may be homelessnext summer. Jane’s clinical and research life is as busy as ever and my researchlaboratory in Experimental Psychology continues to thrive. I am about to leavefor the major European Neuroscience meeting in Barcelona where I am giving aspecial lecture and receiving an award for my contribution to neuroscience inEurope, followed by a lifetime achievement award from the British Associationfor Psychopharmacology, of which I was President some 20 years ago, at theirannual meeting in a less warm Harrogate. It is very special to receive them, butawards described as ‘lifetime achievement’ most certainly indicate the passing oftime, something that will be very much in my mind during the year ahead.As ever I shall close by extending my thanks to the President of theAssociation, John Hicks, who has served it tirelessly for so many years. To theHonorary Secretary, Barrie Hunt and the Treasurer, Norman Berger and theentire Executive Committee for all their dedicated work in support of ourstudents through the sale of high quality Downing merchandise. I will also makespecial mention of the fact that, at this September’s dinner, Dr Kate Dyer willbecome President of the Downing Association. I had the privilege of beingKate’s Director of Studies and supervisor when she was an outstandingundergraduate and I am delighted that she remains so involved with the Collegeamidst her busy life as a GP. If I need any more evidence of how quickly timepasses, it is surely this.Professor Barry Everitt Sc.D., F.R.S., F.Med.Sci.Master’s Lodge, July 201225