Matthew Ethan MacDonald

Ethan MacDonald is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Electrical and Software Engineering at the Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary. He also holds an Adjunct Associate Professor position in the Department of Radiology at the Cumming School of Medicine and is a Full Member of both the Hotchkiss Brain Institute and the Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute. His research program focuses on three core themes: software and hardware for MRI image acquisition and reconstruction, big data science for biomedical applications, and modeling brain circuits to inspire next-generation intelligent algorithms.

Dr. MacDonald completed his technical diplomas in electronics engineering at Nova Scotia Community College, followed by a BEng in Electrical Engineering at Lakehead University where he received the Dean Brawn Medal for highest ranking graduating student and the Professional Engineers of Ontario Medal. He then pursued graduate studies at the University of Calgary, earning his MSc (2010) and PhD (2014) in Biomedical Engineering, followed by a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Radiology (2020). He was appointed as an Assistant Professor in 2020 and became a founding member of the Department of Biomedical Engineering in 2021.

His research encompasses diverse applications of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, including endovascular catheter tracking, quantitative cerebrovascular imaging, and imaging of brain development and aging physiology. He specializes in acquisition and reconstruction of MRI data, pulse sequence programming, and brain imaging methods such as vascular imaging, functional MRI, and diffusion tensor imaging. His work integrates big data analytics, machine learning, and computational modeling for applications in neuroinformatics, brain morphology, aging physiology, and genetics.

Dr. MacDonald's publications demonstrate significant contributions to age prediction models using cerebral blood flow and cortical thickness measurements, cerebrovascular reactivity analysis, machine learning applications in neuroimaging, and novel MRI techniques for vascular and brain imaging. His research shows a consistent trajectory toward integrating advanced computational methods with sophisticated MRI techniques to address fundamental questions in neuroscience and clinical applications.

• Dean Brawn Medal for highest ranking graduating student
• Professional Engineers of Ontario Medal for Academic Achievement

Dr. MacDonald actively supervises graduate students in Electrical and Computer Engineering and Biomedical Engineering programs. His lab emphasizes skill development in programming, writing, and presentation skills, while promoting a culture of healthy work-life balance, equity, diversity, and inclusion. He serves on university strategic initiatives including Brain and Mental Health (2015-2021), Child Health and Wellness (2020-2025), Engineering Solutions for Health (2015-2021), and One Health (2020-2025). His teaching includes courses on sensor systems, biomedical imaging, and advanced data analytics.