Les Downing had been a member of HUSBAY for over 4 years, was a full professor in the SUNY system in the college at Oneonta, New York. As a social psychologist, he taught a variety of courses in social influence, group dynamics, and especially the processes underlying the power of religious cults to induce conversion and commitment of members. He authored numerous published articles and gave scores of presentations of his research to both professional and non-professional groups.
(see https://downing.socialpsychology.org/).
In recent years he has given talks to HUSBAY, Gulf Coast Humanists of Venice, and UU church groups in Venice and in Bradenton, Florida. Dr. Downing has served on the board of HUSBAY, and helped organize the first of its now annual Darwin Day lectures.
In retirement, he has developed a renewed interest in painting, and has been doing mostly large scale acrylic fantasy landscapes, which are posted on his art website at LESDOWNINGART.COM
He and his wife Holly, who was school teacher, spend ten months a year in Sarasota, and two months at their cottage in upstate New York, near Cooperstown. Les loves to cook and they enjoy entertaining.
Les has been a secular humanist throughout his adult life, and greatly appreciates the opportunities made available through HUSBAY for getting to know and to interact with so many like-minded others.
