Malcolm Macdonald (engineer)

Last updated
Eur Ing Prof

Malcolm Macdonald

C.Eng. FRAeS FRSA FRSE FREng
Malcolm Macdonald (engineer) July 2018 headshot.jpg
Malcolm Macdonald, July 2018
Born1978 [1]
Alma mater University of Glasgow (B. Eng. (Hons) and PhD)
Known for Space technology
Astrodynamics
Network science
Solar sailing
AwardsFellow of the Royal Society of Arts (2021)
Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (2021)
Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society (2013)
Royal Society of Edinburgh Makdougall Brisbane Prize (2016)
European Engineer (2008)
Chartered Engineer (2008)
Scientific career
Fields Space technology, aerospace engineering
Institutions University of Strathclyde
UK Space Agency Steering Board
SCISYS
University of Glasgow
Thesis Analytical methodologies for solar trail trajectory design  (2005)
Website spaceprof.xyz

Malcolm Macdonald FRAeS FRSA FRSE FREng is a Scottish space technology engineer, academic, [2] and director. He is a Professor and the Chair of Applied Space Technology at the University of Strathclyde, and a visiting professor at University College Dublin. [3] He was Director of the Scottish Centre of Excellence in Satellite Applications, [4] SoXSA, from 2014 - 2020, and a non-executive member of the UK Space Agency Steering Board from 2017 - 2020. [5] [6] He is an acknowledged expert in space research, [7] and in 2021 was referred to in the media as "Scotland's leading space expert". [8]

Contents

Education

Malcolm Macdonald studied at University of Glasgow, graduating with a first in Aerospace engineering in 2000. He completed his doctoral research in Astrodynamics at University of Glasgow from then until the end of 2002, graduating in 2005, [9] where we studied with Colin R. McInnes.

Career and research

After completing his doctoral research Macdonald continued to work with Colin R. McInnes as his Research Assistant until the end of 2004. In 2005 Macdonald joined SCISYS where he worked on projects including LISA Pathfinder and ADM-Aeolus, [10] [11] [12] prior to joining the University of Strathclyde in 2008. [10]

Macdonald describes himself as "a professional space technology engineer, working in academia". [11] His research is in space technology, including small satellites and solar sails, as well as astrodynamics, and network science. [2] He was awarded the 2016 Royal Society of Edinburgh Sir Makdougall Brisbane Medal, for "outstanding research work in the development and application of space mission systems to challenge conventional ideas and advance new concepts in the exploration and exploitation of space." [13] He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2021. [14]

Macdonald was the only non-US member of a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's committee on Achieving Science Goals with CubeSats, [15] and a member of the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) Study Group on Small Satellites for Space Sciences. [16] He was also a member of International Academy of Astronautics study group 4.23 on Post-Mission Disposal for Micro and Smaller Satellites: Concepts and Trade Studies. [17]

Macdonald has been an associate editor of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics since 2009, [18] and led the development of The International Handbook of Space Technology, as well as contributing several chapters. [19] This Handbook has sixty contributing authors, including high-profile contributors from Japan, Europe, and the US, including a foreword by Elon Musk.

Macdonald is also involved in the commercialisation of space through his role as the director of the Scottish Centre of Excellence in Satellite Applications, [4] which supports the application of space data and services as well as the development of technology that enables this data and services. He also founded the Data.Space conference, held annually in Glasgow, and which attracts c-suite speakers and thought leaders from across the world. [20] [21]

Outreach and media

Malcolm Macdonald at the DATA.SPACE2017 conference in Glasgow, Scotland Malcolm Macdonald at the DATA.SPACE2017 conference.JPG
Malcolm Macdonald at the DATA.SPACE2017 conference in Glasgow, Scotland

Macdonald is frequently quoted by national and international media [22] [23] [24] on topics relating to the space industry, and is a regular contributor to BBC Radio and Television, including BBC Radio Scotland shows such as Good Morning Scotland and Drive Time, [25] as well as appearing on television shows such as the BBC Daily Politics Show and STV's Scotland Tonight.

Macdonald is also the co-creator & co-producer of a so-called science quiz show, New Peers Review, which is broadcast on Deutsche Welle's Spectrum radio show. [26] [27]

He also regularly delivers talks to branches of learned societies, such as the Royal Aeronautical Society and the Institute of Physics, as well as to local science, engineering, and astronomy clubs. He has also worked with the BBC to broaden understanding of issues related to space, such as the re-entry of Tiangong-1, [28] with CBeebies programme Nina and the Neurons for the episode Earth Explorers, and with BBC Radio Scotland to put a Red Nose into near-space for Comic Relief in 2013. [29]

Awards and honours

Recognition of his engineering achievements includes:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Strathclyde</span> University in Glasgow, Scotland

The University of Strathclyde is a public research university located in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded in 1796 as the Andersonian Institute, it is Glasgow's second-oldest university, having received its royal charter in 1964 as the first technological university in the United Kingdom. Taking its name from the historic Kingdom of Strathclyde, it is Scotland's third-largest university by number of students, with students and staff from over 100 countries.

Sir John Peebles Arbuthnott, PPRSE, FRCPSG, FMedSci, FRCPath was a Scottish microbiologist who was Principal of the University of Strathclyde. He succeeded Lord Wilson of Tillyorn as President of The Royal Society of Edinburgh in October 2011 and was succeeded by Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell in October 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allan Glen's School</span> Secondary school in Scotland

Allan Glen's School was, for most of its existence, a local authority, selective secondary school for boys in Glasgow, Scotland, charging nominal fees for tuition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Blake (scientist)</span> British scientist

Andrew Blake FREng, FRS, is a British scientist, former laboratory director of Microsoft Research Cambridge and Microsoft Distinguished Scientist, former director of the Alan Turing Institute, Chair of the Samsung AI Centre in Cambridge, honorary professor at the University of Cambridge, Fellow of Clare Hall, Cambridge, and a leading researcher in computer vision.

Colin Robert McInnes is a Scottish engineer known for his work in solar sails. He is currently one of the leading figures in the field, being the author of over 50 solar sail papers since 2001. He also wrote a book on the subject, Solar Sailing: Technology, Dynamics and Mission Applications, which is commonly referenced in solar sail journal papers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Glasgow School of Law</span>

The School of Law at the University of Glasgow provides undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Law, and awards the degrees of Bachelor of Laws, Master of Laws, LLM by Research, Master of Research (MRes) and Doctor of Philosophy, the degree of Doctor of Laws being awarded generally only as an honorary degree.

Dr. Henry "Harry" McDonald DSc FREng was a Scottish-American aeronautical engineer specializing in Computational Fluid Dynamics and Director of the NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California from 1996 to 2002.

Professor James Blyth MA, LLD, FRSE FRSSA was a Scottish electrical engineer and academic at Anderson's College, now the University of Strathclyde, in Glasgow. He was a pioneer in the field of electricity generation through wind power and his wind turbine, which was used to light his holiday home in Marykirk, was the world's first-known structure by which electricity was generated from wind power. Blyth patented his design and later developed an improved model which served as an emergency power source at Montrose Lunatic Asylum, Infirmary & Dispensary for the next 30 years. Although Blyth received recognition for his contributions to science, electricity generation by wind power was considered uneconomical and no more wind turbines were built in the United Kingdom until 1951, some 64 years after Blyth built his first prototype.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anne Glover (biologist)</span> Scottish biologist (born 1956)

Dame Lesley Anne Glover is a Scottish biologist and academic. She was Professor of molecular biology and cell biology at the University of Aberdeen before being named Vice Principal for External Affairs and Dean for Europe. She served as Chief Scientific Adviser to the President of the European Commission from 2012 to 2014. In 2018 she joined the Principal's senior advisory team at the University of Strathclyde.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Strathclyde Technology and Innovation Centre</span> Academic in Glasgow, Scotland

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regius Professor of Engineering (Edinburgh)</span>

The Regius Chair of Engineering is a royal professorship in engineering, established since 1868 in the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. The chair is attached to the University's College of Science and Engineering, based in the King's Buildings in Edinburgh. Appointment to the Regius Chair is by Royal Warrant from the British monarch, on the recommendation of Scotland's First Minister.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason Reese</span> British engineering scientist (1967–2019)

Jason Meredith Reese (24 June 1967 – 8 March 2019 was a British engineering scientist, and Regius Professor of Engineering at the University of Edinburgh.

Joseph Anthony McGeough FREng FRSE is a former Regius Professor of Engineering, and now an honorary professorial fellow, in the School of Engineering at the University of Edinburgh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Sweeting</span> British academic, entrepreneur

Sir Martin Nicholas Sweeting is the founder and executive chairman of Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL). SSTL is a corporate spin-off from the University of Surrey, where Sweeting is a Distinguished Professor who founded and chairs the Surrey Space Centre.

Anne Neville was the Royal Academy of Engineering Chair in emerging technologies and Professor of Tribology and Surface Engineering at the University of Leeds.

George Fleming is a Scottish civil engineer specialising in environmental issues. Educated at the Royal College of Science and Technology, Stanford University and the University of Strathclyde he is a doctor of philosophy. His research started with studies of the hydrology of the River Clyde that expanded to a range of subjects including, flood risk, dredging, nuclear waste management, decommissioning of North Sea platforms and contaminated land. He has written reports on flooding for the Institution of Civil Engineers and the British government. Fleming was involved in the planning stages of the Glasgow Garden Festival of 1988 and established a way of reusing dredgings from the Clyde to provide topsoil for the event. He has served as a non-executive director of British Waterways, Port of Tyne boards and for WRAP, a government quango whose aim was to promote recycling and resource efficiency. He is founder and chairman of the EnviroCentre environmental consultancy, of which his son is now managing director.

Rebecca Jane Lunn is a Professor and Head of the Centre for Ground Engineering and Energy Geosciences at the University of Strathclyde. I

Margaret Lucas is a Scottish mechanical engineer specializing in vibration analysis and the applications of high-power ultrasound, including shattering and sampling rock in space exploration, under-sea oil and gas exploration, and ultrasonic cutting devices in robot-assisted surgery. She is Professor of Ultrasonics and Head of Systems, Power & Energy Division in the James Watt School of Engineering at the University of Glasgow.

Patricia Connolly is a Scottish biomedical engineer whose expertise concerns the development of bioelectronic devices for medical diagnostics and monitoring. Her recent work has largely focussed on detecting and preventing infection in wounds.

References

  1. ↑ Malcolm Macodnlad on Twitter
  2. 1 2 Malcolm Macdonald publications indexed by Google Scholar
  3. ↑ "University of Strathclyde Visiting Professor at UCD for Space Week to bolster Irish space sector ambitions". 12 October 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  4. 1 2 "Scottish Space Sector Soars With New Funding Boost". DIGIT. 25 May 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  5. 1 2 "Strathclyde expert Malcolm Macdonald appointed to UK Space Agency's steering board". The National. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  6. ↑ "UK Space Agency, Our governance" . Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  7. ↑ "Space, Scotland's New Frontier". The Herald. 1 April 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  8. ↑ "'UFO' seen by hundreds of Scots across the country explained by top space expert". Daily Recird. 28 September 2021. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  9. ↑ Macdonald, Malcolm (2005). Analytical methodologies for solar trail trajectory design (PhD thesis). University of Glasgow.
  10. 1 2 "The Appliance of Science". BQ Live. 1 February 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2018.
  11. 1 2 "Meet Malcolm Macdonald, our new Non-Executive Steering Board Member". 8 August 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  12. ↑ "Dr Malcolm Macdonald, Uni. of Strathclyde". 21 October 2016. Retrieved 29 December 2018.
  13. ↑ "Early Career Prizes". Royal Society of Edinburgh. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  14. ↑ "The RSE announces 2021 Fellows". Royal Society of Edinburgh. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  15. ↑ Achieving Science with CubeSats: Thinking Inside the Box (Report). Washington, DC: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. doi:10.17226/23503. ISBN   978-0-309-44263-3.
  16. ↑ COSPAR Roadmap on Small Satellites for Space Science (4S). COSPAR 42nd Assembly. Pasadena CA. 18 July 2018.
  17. ↑ "Homepage of the Study Group 4.23" . Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  18. ↑ "AIAA JGCD Masthead". AIAA. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  19. ↑ The International Handbook of Space Technology. Springer. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  20. ↑ "Caledonia dreaming: Think Scotland, think space". Deutsche Welle. 29 March 2018. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  21. ↑ "Hey, there are ethical uses for satellites too!". Deutsche Welle. 13 April 2018. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  22. ↑ "Space, the final frontier in independence debate". The Scotsman. 14 July 2014. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  23. ↑ "Snap elections in space, uncertainty on Earth". Deutsche Welle. 31 July 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2018.
  24. ↑ "No Irish. No blacks. No dogs. No Galileo". Deutsche Welle. 17 May 2018. Retrieved 29 December 2018.
  25. ↑ "UK spaceport proposed for Sutherland site". BBC. 16 July 2018. Retrieved 29 December 2018.
  26. ↑ "Spectrum: New Peers Review takes on neurodegeneration". Deutsche Welle. 3 December 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  27. ↑ "Spectrum: New Peers Review takes on AI". Deutsche Welle. 10 December 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  28. ↑ @BBCNewsbeat (13 March 2018). "Tiangong-1 Re-entry" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  29. ↑ "In pictures: Red Nose goes into space site". BBC. 15 March 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  30. ↑ "Professor Malcolm Macdonald FREng FRSE". raeng.org.uk. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
  31. ↑ Kristy Dorsey (22 April 2021). "Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards: The full list of winners". The Herald. Glasgow.
  32. ↑ "University Honoured for Space Technology Work". The Herald. Glasgow. 22 September 2012.
  33. ↑ "THE Awards 2011: Shortlist". Times Higher Education. September 2011. Retrieved 30 December 2018.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.