Jim McDonald (electrical engineer)

Sir
Jim McDonald
KT GBE FRSE FREng FIET FInstP FEI
McDonald in 2020
Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of Strathclyde
In office
March 2009 – August 2025
Preceded byAndrew Hamnett
Succeeded byStephen McArthur
Personal details
BornJames Rufus McDonald
1957 (age 68–69)
EducationUniversity of Strathclyde (BSc, MSc, PhD)

Sir James Rufus McDonald (born 1957) is a British engineer and educator, who served as principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Strathclyde from 2009 to 2025.[1] He served as the president of the Royal Academy of Engineering between 2019 and 2024,[2] and is also a visiting professor at NYU Tandon School of Engineering.[3]

Education

McDonald studied at the University of Strathclyde, where he obtained a BSc (Hons) degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering in 1978, an MSc degree in Electrical Power Engineering in 1984, and a PhD degree in Power System Economics in 1990.[4][5]

Career

After seven years of work within the UK electricity supply industry, McDonald joined Strathclyde University in 1984 and became professor of electrical power systems in 1993. In 2006, he was appointed deputy principal responsible for research and was appointed as Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Strathclyde in March 2009. He has co-authored more than 600 papers and three books.[6]

On 15 February 2019, the Royal Academy of Engineering announced that its Trustee Board had nominated McDonald as its presidential candidate for election by Fellows at the September 2019 AGM.[7] McDonald served a full five-year term, stepping down in 2024.

In October 2024, McDonald announced that he would retire from his role at Strathclyde in August 2025 after 16 years.[8] He was succeeded by Professor Stephen McArthur.

In December 2024, the Scottish Government appointed McDonald as Chair of Scottish Enterprise[9] for a period of three years.

In 2001, he was invited to deliver the MacMillan Memorial Lecture to the Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland. He chose the subject "Electric Propulsion in Marine Applications: An Electrical Engineer's Viewpoint".[10]

McDonald delivered a TEDx talk at the 2021 Annual Ideas Conference organised by TEDxUniversity of Strathclyde under the theme "Resilience Reignited". During his TED talk, McDonald discussed a systems engineering approach to achieving net zero by 2050 which includes the use of steam reforming. "Net Zero" means not adding to the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere – achieving this means reducing emissions as much as possible as well as balancing out those that remain by an equivalent amount[11]

He highlighted the factors in energy which need to be taken in consideration if we are to achieve a decarbonised future – factors such as affordability, reliability, economic opportunity and public engagement. He spoke about the importance of leadership, policy making and resilient infrastructure in the goal towards creating a sustainable future.[12]

Honours and fellowships

McDonald was knighted in the 2012 Birthday Honours for services to education, engineering and the economy.[13][14] He was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) in the 2024 New Year Honours for services to engineering, education and energy.[15][16] He was made a Knight of the Order of the Thistle (KT) in June 2026.[17][18]

He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE)[19] and a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng), both in 2003,[20] and is also a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (FIET), the Institute of Physics (FInstP), and of the Energy Institute (FEI) in the United Kingdom.[6] In addition, he is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (FIEEE) in the United States.[21]

McDonald has also been honoured by foreign institutions as an Honorary Fellow of the Irish Academy of Engineering,[22] a Foreign Fellow of the Chinese Society for Electrical Engineering and an International Member of the US-based National Academy of Engineering.[23]

He was inducted into the Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame in 2024.[24]

References

  1. ↑ "Financial Statements 2023-24" (PDF). Strathclyde University. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  2. ↑ "Sir Jim McDonald confirmed as President of the Royal Academy of Engineering". Archived from the original on 1 October 2019. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  3. ↑ "Sir Jim McDonald, BSc, MSc, PhD, DSc, CEng | NYU Tandon School of Engineering". Engineering.nyu.edu. 16 June 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
  4. ↑ McDonald, Sir James Rufus, b. 1957, Knight, Principal of the University of Strathclyde - websiyte of the University of Strathclyde
  5. ↑ Former Strathclyde Principal Sir Jim McDonald Receives Scotland’s Highest Honour - website of Glasgow City of Science & Innovation
  6. 1 2 University of Strathclyde. "Principal and Vice Chancellor". University website. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
  7. ↑ "Royal Academy of Engineering set to elect its first Scottish President - Royal Academy of Engineering". Royal Academy of Engineering set to elect its first Scottish President (Press release). Archived from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  8. ↑ University of Strathclyde (3 October 2024). "University of Strathclyde Principal announces retirement". Retrieved 4 April 2025.
  9. ↑ Scottish Government (19 December 2024). "Public appointment: Chair appointed to Scottish Enterprise". Retrieved 4 April 2025.
  10. ↑ "Hugh Miller Macmillan". Macmillan Memorial Lectures. Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland. Archived from the original on 4 October 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  11. ↑ "What is net zero and how are the UK and other countries doing?". BBC News. 4 November 2021. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  12. ↑ A systems engineering approach to Net Zero by 2050, retrieved 14 March 2022
  13. ↑ "No. 60173". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 June 2012. p. 1.
  14. ↑ Cabinet Office (15 June 2012). "The Queen's Birthday Honours List 2012". Cabinet Office press releases. HM Government. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
  15. ↑ "No. 64269". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 2023. p. N9.
  16. ↑ "New Year Honours 2024: Full UK list of those recognised". The Herald. 29 December 2023.
  17. ↑ "No. 65106". The London Gazette. 23 June 2026. p. 12398.
  18. ↑ @MajestyMagazine (6 June 2026). "NEW: The King has appointed two new members to the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle: Professor Sir James (Jim) McDonald, one of Scotland's most distinguished engineers and university leaders, and Sir James MacMillan, one of the today's most performed composers" (Tweet) – via X (formerly Twitter).
  19. ↑ Fellowship: Professor Sir Jim McDonald FRSE - website of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
  20. ↑ - website of the Royal Academy of Engineering
  21. ↑ IEEE. "IEEE Fellow Class of 2025" (PDF). Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  22. ↑ Irish Academy of Engineering. "MEMBERSHIP OF THE IRISH ACADEMY OF ENGINEERING". Retrieved 4 April 2025.
  23. ↑ University of Strathclyde (22 February 2022). "Strathclyde Principal elected International Member of National Academy of Engineering". Retrieved 4 April 2025.
  24. ↑ "Scottish Engineering – Hall of Fame – Sir Jim McDonald". The Institution of Engineers in Scotland. 4 October 2024. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
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