| James Edward McDonald
received his Ph.D. in physics from Iowa State University in 1951, then
worked there as an assistant professor in meteorology. He was a research
physicist in the University of Chicago's department of meteorology
(1953-54). In 1954 he joined the University of Arizona faculty, first
as an associate professor (1954-56), then as a full professor
in the department of meteorology (1956-71). McDonald was also a senior
physicist in the University's Institute of Atmospheric Physics, and
served as both associate director (1954-56) and scientific director
(1956-57). He also advised numerous federal agencies, including
the National Science Foundation, The Office of Naval Research, the National
Academy of Sciences, and the Environmental Science Service Administration.
During the mid-late
1960s, McDonald became intensively involved in UFO research, interviewing
hundreds of UFO witnesses and lecturing widely on the subject to professional
societies. His talks emphasized the need for a serious scientific study,
adding that he considered the best reports to be evidence of extraterrestrial
visitation. He also played an important role in Congressional UFO hearings
in 1968.
Privately, McDonald
analyzed all Project Blue Book case files, convincing him that the Air
Force had performed an entirely inadequate investigation, which appeared
to have been more concerned with internal politics rather than real science.
He also reviewed the cases of the Air Force's sponsored University of
Colorado UFO study, and concluded that many of their explanations were
not well founded either. McDonald left no book but privately published
many monographs based on his lecture presentations, some of which are
included below.
Monographs
Science in Default -
22 Years of Inadequate UFO Investigations
The Problem of Unidentified
Flying Objects
Meteorological Factors
in Unidentified Radar Returns
UFOs And The Condon Report
- A Scientist's Critique
Statement on UFOs - Hearings
Before The Committee on Science and Astronautics Committee on Science
and Astronautics, "Symposium on Unidentified Flying Objects -- Hearings
Before The Committee on Science And Astronautics," U.S. House of Representatives,
19th Congress, Second Session, July 29, 1968.
McDonald
Credentials compiled by Val Germann
Born: Duluth, Minnesota,
May 7, 1920.
B.A., Chemistry, University
of Omaha, 1942.
M.A., Meteorology,
M.I.T., 1945. Ph.D.,
U.S. Navy, Intelligence
& aerology, 1942-45.
Instructor, Physics,
Iowa State University, 1946-49.
Physics, Iowa State
University, 1951.
Assistant Professor,
Physics, Iowa State University, 1950-53.
Research Physicist,
Cloud Physics, Univ. of Chicago, 1953-54.
Associate Prof., Physics,
Univ. of Arizona, 1954-56.
Full Professor,, Physics,
Univ. of Arizona, 1956-57.
Senior Physicist, Inst.
of Atmospheric Studies, 1958 - 1971.
Member, Weather Modification
Panel, NAS, 1965 - 1971.
Member, Navy Stormfury
Advisory Panel, 1966 - 1971.
Member, NSF Weather
Modification Panel, 1967 - 1971.
Member, AAAS, American
Meteorological Society,
Sigma Xi, American
Geophysical Society, American Society of University Professors. Married,
Six Children
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