Dr Graham McDonald

School of Science, Engineering & Environment

Photo of Dr Graham McDonald

Contact Details

Room G44, Peel Building
School of Science, Engineering & Environment
海角乱伦
Greater Manchester M5 4WT
UK

Current positions

Associate Professor/Reader

Biography

Reader / Associate Professor

__ HISTORY __

鈼 1981-1985 University of Glasgow [ BSc Hons ] UK
鈼 1985-1989 University of Strathclyde [ PhD ] UK
鈼 1989-1992 University of Strathclyde, UK
鈼 1992-1993 Free University of Brussels, Belgium
鈼 1993-1997 Imperial College London, UK
鈼 1997-1998 University of Leiden, the Netherlands
鈼 1998-1999 Imperial College London, UK
鈼 1999-2000 海角乱伦, UK
鈼 2000-Present 海角乱伦, UK

__ KEY RESEARCH ROLES __

鈼 October 2005 鈥 August 2009: Director of Centre for Theory & Modelling [ 1 of 3 centres of the Institute for Materials Research ]
鈼 October 2009 鈥 August 2015: Head of Materials & Physics Research Centre/Group

Areas of Research

Google Scholar h-index = 31 (strong evidence of sustained research impact)

__ RESEARCH TOPICS __

鈥athematics, Physics, Numerical Analysis, Photonics

鈥omplexity, Pattern Formation, Fractals, Solitons

鈥asers, Nonlinear Optics, Attoscience, Self-Imaging

鈥ultidisciplinary Theory, Modelling and Simulation

鈥eaching & Learning Research & Development [ >拢0.3M collaborative funding, currently in excess of 1M downloads p.a. ]


__ CURRENT RESEARCH FOCI __

鈥 Academic: Ultra-broadband Nonlinear Optics

鈥 Academic: Global Population Modelling

鈥 Academic: Cavity Geometries and Fractal Laser Modes

鈥 Academic: 2D and 3D Helmholtz Solitons

鈥 Education: Maintaining Student Engagement amidst Societal & Generational Changes

鈥 Education: Formative Introduction of AI Tools in STEM Teaching


__ RESEARCH WEBPAGES & DOWNLOADS __

鈥 Earlier Paper Downloads [ 279 items, up to 2013 ]
https://salfordphysics.com/index.php/graham-s-mcdonald-earlier-publications/

鈥 Worktribe Outputs [ 169 items ]
https://salford-repository.worktribe.com/person/1153825/graham-mcdonald/outputs

鈥 Academic.edu
https://universityofsalford.academia.edu/GrahamMcDonald

鈥 ResearchGate
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Gs-Mcdonald


__ PROFESSIONAL BODIES __

鈥 Member of the Institute of Physics [ since 1985 ]
.

Teaching

__ PERSONAL/YEAR TUTOR __

鈥cademic Tutor to all Levels

鈥irst Year Level Head for period 2001-2009


__ CURRENT COURSES __

鈥 Final-Year Projects coordinator [ 13748, 40 credits, Physics ]

鈥 Mathematics [ 59405, 20 credits, taught to Physics and Acoustics students ]

鈥 Mathematics [ 39013, 20 credits, taught to Electronic Engineering students ]

鈥 Mathematics and Computing [ 31140, 10 of 20 credits taught ]

鈥 Foundation Mathematics 2 [ 52552, 20 credits ]

鈥 Foundation Physics A [ 50142, 20 credits ]


__ PROJECT SUPERVISION __

鈥roject Supervisor for BSc, MPhys, MSc, MRes, and PhD students


__ INTERNATIONAL TEACHING ROLES __

Examples

鈥PLATO [ maths & physics resources: mirror site ]
https://www.physics.brocku.ca/PPLATO/

鈥nteractive Mathematics Tutorials
https://salfordphysics.com/index.php/mathematics-hyper-tutorials/


__ PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING & OUTREACH __

Examples

鈥omplexity - The Physics of Everything [ pdf ]
https://www.salfordphysics.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Complexity-Physics-Of-Everything.pdf

鈥omplexity, Teaching & Careers [ pdf ]
https://salfordphysics.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/complexity-in-nature-leads-to-many-careers-for-physicists.pdf

鈥eneral Relativity and Dark Matter [ popular article ]
https://theconversation.com/new-theory-of-general-relativity-casts-doubt-on-dark-matter-16446

鈥he Physics of Pool [ video ]
https://www.salfordphysics.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Physics-of-Pool.mp4
.

Qualifications and Recognitions

Qualifications
  • PhD (Theoretical & Computational Physics)

    1985 - 1989
  • BSc Physics

    1981 - 1985

Publications

Publications