D. L. Mordell
Professor Donald L. Mordell
1954 Bio Note [1]
Professor Mordell was educated at Manchester Grammar School and at St. John's College, Cambridge, but spent a year as apprentice at Metropolitan Vickers, Ltd., Manchester, before going to Cambridge. During vacation, he worked at Fairey Aviation Co., Stockport, and after taking the Mechanical Sciences Tripos in 1941, joined the technical staff of Rolls-Royce, Ltd., Derby.
He was engaged on the development of aero gas-turbines until 1947 when he went to Canada to become Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at McGill University, Montreal. He was appointed Director of the Gas Dynamics Laboratory on its inauguration in 1949 and since that time has been directing research on combustion, heat transfer, axial compressors and gas turbines.
Professor Mordell was elected to the Thomas Workman Chair of Mechanical Engineering in 1952 and appointed Chairman of the Mechanical Engineering Department in 1953. Apart from academic work, he has acted as consultant to Canadian industrial firms and Government on matters relating to aeronautics and gas turbines, and as member of various Government committees.