Royal Academy of Engineering trustees nominate McDonald for first Scottish president
18 Feb 2019
University of Strathclyde principal and vice-chancellor professor Jim McDonald has been nominated for president of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
As the choice of the RAE trustee’s board, McDonald will be the likely choice when academy fellows vote in September.
Speaking after his nomination he stated: “It truly is an honour to be considered for the position of President of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
“Scotland has a strong tradition of engineering excellence – from James Watt to John Logie Baird – and I am proud and delighted to be the first Scot to nominated for this position. I am hugely thankful to the Trustees for recommending me to the Fellows for consideration.”
McDonald is one of Scotland’s most high-profile engineers, co-chairing the Scottish Government’s Energy Advisory Board, with the First Minister.
He is also chairman of the Independent Glasgow Economic Leadership Board and holds senior appointments with the Weir Group, Scottish Power, the UK Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult and the UK National Physical Laboratory.
Having studied for his first degree in electrical engineering at the University of Strathclyde he began as a graduate apprentice on the Scottish Electrical Training Scheme. He worked in the electrical utility sector for seven years and returned to the University of Strathclyde in 1984 as a University Grants Commission New Blood Lecturer in Electrical Engineering.
He has made an immense contribution to the development of engineering innovation in Scotland and his business-focused approach will be of great value
Ann Dowling, president, Royal Academy of Engineering
He was appointed to the Rolls-Royce Chair in Electrical Power Systems in 1993 and became Principal and Vice- Chancellor of the University of Strathclyde in March 2009.
McDonald indicated his likely focus if elected for a five year term to the RAE presidency, saying: “The Academy promotes engineering in all its forms and is a champion for engineering excellence, industrial innovation, societal impact and the nurturing of world-class talent.
“These are all matters I am passionate about and I am also inspired by the Academy’s commitment to widening the appeal of engineering, not least for girls and young women, along with those from non-traditional backgrounds.
Commenting on the nomination the incumbent president, Professor Ann Dowling, said she was delighted with the choice.
She added: “He has made an immense contribution to the development of engineering innovation in Scotland and his business-focused approach will be of great value to the UK as a whole.”
