It was with great sadness that colleagues in the College and across the University learned of the death of Dr Peter MacConnell, Senior Lecturer in the School of Engineering, on November 19th, 2011.
Peter graduated MEng with Distinction in Manufacturing Sciences and Engineering from Strathclyde University in 1988 and went on to do postgraduate research at Strathclyde and at the University of Exeter, graduating with a PhD in Control Systems Engineering from Exeter in 1995. He joined the (then) Department of Engineering at Aberdeen in 1996 as a Lecturer in Control and Power Systems Engineering. Within a very short time Peter had established himself as an outstanding colleague, always a great person to work with, whether in research, teaching or administration.
Based on his considerable expertise in control, artificial intelligence and condition monitoring, Peter developed a portfolio of research that linked well to industry problems, well funded primarily via a number of successful TCS and KTP research awards.
Peter had a deserved reputation for exceptional devotion to teaching. Always looking for ways to make his classes more interesting and effective, especially in the junior years, he introduced an induction programme for first year Engineering students, developed innovative group-based teaching methods and novel design exercises, and he was a pioneer in the use of WebCT as an online learning tool within the Department. Many of Peter’s initiatives and practices have been copied by others.
As his career progressed, Peter took an increasingly greater interest in student recruitment, especially international student recruitment, which eventually led to his appointment as Director of Admissions (Engineering) in 2006, a role he carried while continuing with teaching and research within the School of Engineering. As with everything else that he did, Peter was an excellent Director of Admissions, bringing a wonderful personal touch and friendly approach that was hugely appreciated by students worried about securing a place or apprehensive about moving to a foreign country. Stories abound of the beyond-the-call-of-duty efforts made by Peter on behalf of his students: it is no wonder that so many students expressed such a degree of sadness at his passing.
Peter lived with and fought against his illness for many years, and he did so with enormous courage, dignity and extraordinary good humour. I was lucky enough to have the office next door to Peter’s for 12 years and I loved our conversations about the latest exploits of his beloved Celtic, Scotland’s latest glorious defeat in football or rugby, or about the absurdities of life, academic life in particular. Whatever the topic, a conversation with Peter invariably ended with laughter; it raised one’s spirits, you were glad to have chatted with him. And I’m sure that is how many colleagues will remember Peter: a wonderful colleague who left you smiling.
Tom O'Donoghue
Head of School, Engineering
The School of Engineering is planning to establish a fund for a student scholarship or prize in memory of Dr Peter MacConnell. Information on how to donate to the fund will be circulated in the near future.