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Donald Mackay, B.Sc., Ph.D., P.Eng

Director, Canadian Environmental Modelling Centre, Trent University

A Canadian pioneer in environmental chemistry, Dr. Donald Mackay, P.Eng., Director of the Canadian Environmental Modelling Centre at Trent University in Peterborough, gained international recognition in the field of oil spill research in the 1970s as a result of developing equations and mathematical models which describe their behaviour and effects in temperate and arctic oceans. Dr. Mackay is the originator and developer of an environmental modelling system based on the concept of fugacity that provides valuable insight into the behaviour of chemicals in the natural environment, as well as a framework for future projections. The models developed by Dr. Mackay and his team enable scientists, governments and others to understand the “big picture” of chemical fate in the environment and to target environmental improvement in areas of greatest need. They are used as the basis of regulatory and environmental policy decisions by regulatory agencies and international organizations that include the United Nations Environment Protection Program, Environment Canada, Health Canada, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the European Union and the International Joint Commission on the Great Lakes. Dr. Mackay's over 400 peer-reviewed publications on the validation of chemical transport processes and the measurement of physical chemical properties are standard references for environmental chemists around the world. In addition, the stature and importance of his work have been internationally recognized by awards from the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry and other international bodies. Dr. Mackay holds a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Chair in Environmental Modelling at Trent University. Very few scientists or engineers can claim to have developed a scientific paradigm or have a model named after them. Engineer Mackay’s research and development of techniques for modelling the fate of chemicals in our multi-media environment are often referred to as “Mackay models” in recognition of his substantial contribution to this field. A worldwide community regards him as the originator of an innovative modeling system that he not only developed, but also has successfully followed through to implementation as a policy instrument in many countries. Dr. Mackay has advanced the field of environmental modelling substantially and has generously made his models freely available on the Internet to enhance their use around the world. In doing so, Engineer Mackay’s Canadian-designed models contribute to the world’s understanding of our complex environment, and promote Ontario as a leader in this field of engineering research.