Dr Donald Macdonald, retired lecturer and researcher in electrical machines and power systems, died at his home on May 1st, aged 80.

Donald Macdonald graduated from Imperial College in 1955 with a degree in Electrical Engineering. He was a graduate apprentice at BTH (British Thompson-Houston, later part of GEC) in Rugby and worked there after graduation on large electrical generators.

He later returned to Imperial College as a lecturer and gave many years of dedicated service through teaching and research in the fields of electrical machines and power systems. He specialised in the study of dynamic phenomena and stability of turbine alternators in AC transmission systems.

In later years he gave invaluable service to the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering as its admissions tutor from 1995 until his retirement in 2005.

His good humour and friendly disposition will be fondly remembered by close colleagues and widely across the university. He was a natural mentor to new lecturers, a role he voluntarily continued beyond his retirement, and his softly spoken words of advice on a range of topics were much appreciated.

He spent the last years of his life caring for his wife Valerie, who died in 2012 and he is survived by his children Alastair, Fiona, Isla, Ken and Mairie.