Malcolm Macdonald (engineer)

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,{{cite thesis|degree=PhD|publisher=University of Glasgow|title=Analytical methodologies for solar trail trajectory design|first= Malcolm |last= Macdonald |year=2005 |url=http://encore.lib.gla.ac.uk/iii/encore/record/C__Rb2289393}} where we studied with Colin R. McInnes.

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,{{Cite web |url=http://www.bqlive.co.uk/scotland/2017/02/01/news/the-appliance-of-science-8628/ |title=The Appliance of Science |work=BQ Live |date=1 February 2017 |access-date=29 December 2018}}{{Cite web |url=https://space.blog.gov.uk/2017/08/08/a-warm-welcome-to-malcolm-macdonald-our-new-non-executive-steering-board-member/ |title=Meet Malcolm Macdonald, our new Non-Executive Steering Board Member |date=8 August 2017 |access-date=28 December 2018}}{{Cite web |url=https://spaceoneers.io/2016/10/21/dr-malcolm-macdonald-university-of-strathclyde/ |title=Dr Malcolm Macdonald, Uni. of Strathclyde |date=21 October 2016 |access-date=29 December 2018}} prior to joining the University of Strathclyde in 2008.

Macdonald describes himself as "a professional space technology engineer, working in academia". His research is in space technology, including small satellites and solar sails, as well as astrodynamics, and network science. 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."{{cite web|url=https://www.rse.org.uk/awards/revision-of-early-career-prizes-2/|title=Early Career Prizes|publisher= Royal Society of Edinburgh|access-date= 30 December 2018}} He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.rse.org.uk/rse-announces-2021-fellows/|title=The RSE announces 2021 Fellows|publisher= Royal Society of Edinburgh|access-date= 4 April 2021}}

Macdonald was the only non-US member of a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's committee on Achieving Science Goals with CubeSats,{{cite report| date = 2016 | title = Achieving Science with CubeSats: Thinking Inside the Box | url = https://www.nap.edu/catalog/23503/achieving-science-with-cubesats-thinking-inside-the-box | publisher = National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine | location = Washington, DC | doi = 10.17226/23503| isbn = 978-0-309-44263-3 | url-access = subscription }} and a member of the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) Study Group on Small Satellites for Space Sciences.{{cite conference |title=COSPAR Roadmap on Small Satellites for Space Science (4S) |date=18 July 2018 |location=Pasadena CA |conference=COSPAR 42nd Assembly}} 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.{{Cite web |url=http://iaaweb.org/content/view/742/975 |title=Homepage of the Study Group 4.23 |access-date=30 December 2018}}

Macdonald has been an associate editor of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics since 2009,{{Cite web |url=https://arc.aiaa.org/page/jgcd/masthead |title=AIAA JGCD Masthead |work=AIAA |access-date=30 December 2018}} and led the development of The International Handbook of Space Technology, as well as contributing several chapters.{{Cite book |url=https://www.springer.com/gb/book/9783642411007 |title=The International Handbook of Space Technology |publisher=Springer |access-date=30 December 2018}} 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, 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, which was held annually in Glasgow, and attracted c-suite speakers and thought leaders from across the world.{{Cite web |url=https://www.dw.com/en/caledonia-dreaming-think-scotland-think-space/a-43189060 |title=Caledonia dreaming: Think Scotland, think space |work=Deutsche Welle |date=29 March 2018 |access-date=30 December 2018}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.dw.com/en/hey-there-are-ethical-uses-for-satellites-too/a-43381862 |title=Hey, there are ethical uses for satellites too! |work=Deutsche Welle |date=13 April 2018 |access-date=30 December 2018}}

File:Malcolm_Macdonald_at_the_DATA.SPACE2017_conference.JPG

Macdonald is frequently quoted by national and international media{{Cite web |url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/space-the-final-frontier-in-independence-debate-1-3475405 |title=Space, the final frontier in independence debate |work=The Scotsman |date=14 July 2014 |access-date=28 December 2018}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.dw.com/en/snap-elections-in-space-uncertainty-on-earth/a-39055025 |title=Snap elections in space, uncertainty on Earth |work=Deutsche Welle |date=31 July 2017 |access-date=29 December 2018}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.dw.com/en/no-irish-no-blacks-no-dogs-no-galileo/a-43828776 |title=No Irish. No blacks. No dogs. No Galileo |work=Deutsche Welle |date=17 May 2018 |access-date=29 December 2018}} 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,{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-44839536 |title=UK spaceport proposed for Sutherland site |work=BBC |date=16 July 2018 |access-date=29 December 2018}} 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.{{Cite web |url=https://www.dw.com/en/spectrum-new-peers-review-takes-on-neurodegeneration/av-51514898 |title=Spectrum: New Peers Review takes on neurodegeneration |work=Deutsche Welle |date=3 December 2019 |access-date=17 December 2019}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.dw.com/en/spectrum-new-peers-review-takes-on-ai/av-51612720 |title=Spectrum: New Peers Review takes on AI |work=Deutsche Welle |date=10 December 2019 |access-date=17 December 2019}}

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,{{cite tweet |user=BBCNewsbeat |number=973620373911756806 |date=13 March 2018 |title=Tiangong-1 Re-entry }} 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.{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-21800270 |title=In pictures: Red Nose goes into space site |work=BBC |date=15 March 2013 |access-date=30 December 2018}}

Recognition of his engineering achievements includes:

• 2025 President-elect, and Trustee, of the Royal Aeronautical Society
• 2023 Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng){{Cite web |title=Professor Malcolm Macdonald FREng FRSE |url=https://raeng.org.uk/about-us/fellowship/new-fellows-2023/professor-malcolm-macdonald-freng-frse |access-date=2023-12-26 |website=raeng.org.uk |language=en}}
• 2021 Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA)
• 2021 Knowledge Exchange Champion of the Year, Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards {{cite news |author=Kristy Dorsey |title=Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards: The full list of winners |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/business_hq/19249557.awards-business-alliance-projects/ |work=The Herald |location=Glasgow |date=22 April 2021 }}
• 2021 Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE)
• 2016 Royal Society of Edinburgh Sir Makdougall Brisbane Medal
• 2013 Fellowship of the Royal Aeronautical Society (FRAeS)
• 2013 Elected member Royal Society of Edinburgh Young Academy of Scotland, five-year term.
• 2012 Best Scottish Knowledge Transfer Partnership Award, with Clyde Space Ltd.{{cite news |author= |title=University Honoured for Space Technology Work |work=The Herald |location=Glasgow |date=22 September 2012 }}
• 2011 Sir Arthur C. Clarke Award for Space Research Achievement, awarded to the Advanced Space Concepts Laboratory
• 2010 Times Higher Education, THE, Outstanding Engineering Research Team of the Year shortlist nomination.{{Cite web |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/the-awards-2011-shortlist/417298.article |title=THE Awards 2011: Shortlist |work=Times Higher Education |date=September 2011 |access-date=30 December 2018}}
• 2009 Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
• 2008 Registered European Engineer with the European Federation of National Engineering Associations.
• 2008 Engineering Council UK Chartered Engineer (UK). Registration No. 571998.
• 2003 Ackroyd Stuart Propulsion Prize (2003) awarded by the Royal Aeronautical Society

{{reflist|35em}}

• The International Handbook of Space Technology Editors: Macdonald, Malcolm, Badescu, Viorel (Eds.), Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2014, {{ISBN|978-3-642-41100-7}}, {{doi|10.1007/978-3-642-41101-4}}
• Advances in Solar Sailing Editor: Macdonald, Malcolm (Eds.), Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2014, {{ISBN|978-3-642-34906-5}}, {{doi|10.1007/978-3-642-34907-2}}
• Macdonald, Malcolm, Smith, Lesley Jane, Impact Assessment of Scottish Independence on the Space Sector, University of Strathclyde publishing, 2014, {{ISBN|978-1-909522-04-6}} [https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/48924/ University of Strathclyde publishing - Impact Assessment of Scottish Independence on the Space Sector]

• [https://www.strath.ac.uk/staff/macdonaldmalcolmdr/ Staff Profile - Prof Malcolm Macdonald], University of Strathclyde

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Category:Aerospace engineers

Category:Space systems engineers

Category:Academics of the University of Strathclyde

Category:Fellows of the Royal Aeronautical Society

Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh

Category:Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering

Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of Arts

Category:Alumni of the University of Glasgow

Category:Engineers from Glasgow

Category:Scottish aerospace engineers

Category:1978 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century Scottish engineers

Category:21st-century Scottish engineers