Top Research Scientist Joins UTC Faculty
Dr. Harry McDonald, a top NASA researcher and internationally renowned
computational engineer, has joined the faculty of the University of Tennessee
at Chattanooga.
McDonald has been named to the endowed Chair of 21st Century Engineering
and professor of computational engineering at UTC. McDonald will be a
faculty member in the UT SimCenter at Chattanooga, a newly created research
and educational program on the UTC campus. The program brings to Chattanooga
its first doctorate, a joint effort with the UT campus in Knoxville.
“I am very excited about coming to UTC to work with the creation
of their new computational engineering center,”said McDonald. “I
think the whole atmosphere of the campus and the city were so welcoming.
I see a real commitment from the University and from the community to
create the best computational engineering program in the country and I
definitely want to be a part of the program. It is very gratifying to
see such support for your work.”
McDonald comes to UTC from the NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field,
California, where he served as director since 1996. McDonald also held
the position of professor of engineering at Mississippi State University
and visiting professor at the Imperial College of Science and Technology
in London.
“I am eager to build upon a long tradition of strong sciences for
this campus,”said Bill Stacy, UTC chancellor. “His peers have
recognized him with highest honors in engineering in this country and
internationally he has been recognized with induction into the most prestigious
societies. In addition to his powerful intellect, he is a such a gentleman
and it will be rewarding for our faculty, our students, and for people
in our area to interact with Dr. McDonald. He is one of the most likeable
men you could meet.”
McDonald has been named a fellow by the American Society of Mechanical
Engineering, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and
the Royal Aeronautical Society (UK).
McDonald, formerly the assistant director of computational sciences and
professor of mechanical engineering at the Applied Research Laboratory,
Pennsylvania State University, earned his bachelor’s degree in aeronautical
engineering and doctorate in engineering from the University of Glasgow,
Scotland.
Before joining Penn State in 1991, McDonald was founder, president and
chief executive officer of Scientific Research Associates, Inc., Glastonbury,
Conn., where he was also responsible for overall management of the company’s
computational physics laboratory which specialized in aero-hydro- and
gas dynamics, optical electronics and biomedical research.
During this time McDonald was co-inventor of a patented novel ultra-high
frequency ventilator which provides life support to critically ill patients
suffering from Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). ARDS is a disease
that affects over 300,000 people in the United States each year. McDonald
and his co-inventors were awarded the Small Businessman of the Year Award
for High Technology by the State of Connecticut for this achievement.
From 1965 to 1976 McDonald worked as a research engineer for United Technologies
Research Center, East Hartford, Conn., where he investigated problems
concerning heat transfer and gas dynamics relative to aircraft engine
performance and design.
After graduating from the University of Glasgow, McDonald worked for the
British Aircraft Corporation, Warton, England, where he supervised wind
tunnel testing, as well as takeoff and landing characteristics of existing
and theoretical aircraft designs.
McDonald has authored and reviewed many papers on aeronautical research
and development, has been a member of several aeronautical associations
and has served on several advisory panels within the aeronautical community.
He is an accomplished pilot, having trained in the Royal Air Force Reserve,
and sailing enthusiast.
McDonald and his wife Dr. June McDonald, M.D., are both naturalized U.S.
citizens and have three children.
“The people of East Tennessee are very excited about the future of
the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and that a person of Dr.Harry
McDonald’s caliber would join UTC as a Distinguished Professor of
Computational Engineering,” said Congressman Zach Wamp, Third District
o f Tennessee. “The SIM Center at Chattanooga and the important doctoral
program that is coming to UTC are the most important developments at the
university in a generation. Between Dr. McDonald and Dr. David Whitfield
of the SIM Center, UTC will be well positioned to become a valuable partner
with NASA, the U.S. Department of Energy and other important national
institutions in computational engineering and computer simulation. The
future of UTC is bright as we welcome Dr. Harry McDonald to Chattanooga.”
The endowment for the Chair in 21st Century Engineering is being created
by a $1.25 million allocation from the UTC Lupton Renaissance Fund.
For more information, contact Chuck Cantrell or Cindy Carroll in the UTC Office of University Relations at (423) 425-4363.