Dr. Digby Macdonald, PhD

Scientist Corrosion Consultant

is one of the world’s leading corrosion scientists and Professor in Residence in the Departments of Nuclear Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering at University of California at Berkeley. From 2003 to 2012, he was a Distinguished Professor of Materials Science and Engineering Director for the Center for Electrochemical Science and Technology at Penn State University. Dr. Macdonald has published over 900 papers in scientific journals, books and conference proceedings. He is the author of a book entitled “Transient Techniques in Electrochemistry” and holds 9 patents. In 2003, Dr. Macdonald received the highest award in the field of corrosion science and engineering – the U.R. Evans Award from the Institute of Corrosion in the United Kingdom. In 2011, he was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Dr. Macdonald holds a B.Sc. (1965) and M.Sc. (1966) in Chemistry, University of Auckland (New Zealand) and Ph.D. in Chemistry (1969), University of Calgary (Canada).


Professional Experience


1/2013 – present: Professor in Residence, University of California at Berkeley.
6/2003 – 12/2012: Distinguished Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Penn State University.
6/2001 – 6/2003: Chair, Metals Program, Penn. State University.
7/99 – 12/2012: Director, Center for Electrochemical Sci. & Tech., Penn. State University.
1/98 – 7/99: Vice President, Physical Sciences Division, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA.
7/91-3/2000: Director, Center for Advanced Materials, Penn. State University.
7/91 – 6/03: Professor, Materials Science and Engineering, Penn. State University.
4/87 - 7/91: Deputy Director, Physical Sciences Division, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA.
3/84 – 4/87: Laboratory Director, Chemistry Laboratory, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA.
3/79 – 3/84: Director and Professor, Fontana Corrosion Center, Ohio State University.
3/77 – 3/79: Senior Metallurgist, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA.
3/75 – 3/77: Senior Research Associate, Alberta Research Ltd/University of Calgary, Canada.
4/72 – 3/75: Lecturer in Chemistry, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.

Professional Honors and Associations


1983: Research Award, College of Engineering, Ohio State University.
1985: Selector of the Kuwait Prize for Applied Sciences.
1991: The Carl Wagner Memorial Award from The Electrochemical Society.
1992: The Willis Rodney Whitney Award from The National Association of Corrosion Engineers.
1992: Chair, Gordon Research Conference on Corrosion, New Hampshire.
1993: W.B. Lewis Memorial Lecture by Atomic Energy of Canada, Ltd., “in recognition of [his] contributions to the development of nuclear power in the service of mankind”.
1994: Elected Fellow, NACE-International.
1993-1997: Member, USAF Scientific Advisory Board, Protocol Rank: DE-4 (Lieutenant General equivalent).
1995: Elected Fellow, The Electrochemical Society.
1996: Elected Fellow, Royal Society of Canada. (“National Academy” of Canada).
1996: Wilson Research Award, College of Earth and Minerals Sciences, Pennsylvania State University.
1997: Elected Fellow, Royal Society of New Zealand. (“National Academy” of New Zealand).
2001: H. H. Uhlig Award, Electrochemical Society.
2003: U. R. Evans Award, British Corrosion Institute; Elected Fellow, Institute of Corrosion (UK); Appointed Adjunct Professor, Massey University, New Zealand; Appointed Adjunct Professor, University of Nevada at Reno.
2004: Elected Fellow, World Innovation Foundation.
2005: Elected Fellow, ASM International.
2006: Elected Fellow, International Society of Electrochemistry.
Feb. 2007: Khwarizmi International Award Laureate in Fundamental Science.
2007-2010 Trustee, ASM International.
2010: Appointed Chair Professor, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
2010: Recipient, Lee Hsun Research Award, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China.
2011: Inducted Doctuer Honoris Causa by INSA-Lyon, Lyon, France.
2011: Nominated for Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
2012: Awarded the Faraday Memorial Trust Gold Medal.
2013: Awarded the Gibbs Award in Thermodynamics by IAPWS.
2014: Awarded the Frumkin Memorial Medal in Fundamental Electrochemistry by the International Society of Electrochemistry.
2015: Olin Pladium Award for Distinguish Contributions to the Field of Electrochemical or Corrosion Science.