“The art of engineering,” says Prof. Dougal Cameron, “is the greatest of all the arts of mankind in that it uses science and art in the creation of useful objects and does so in the service of humankind in all of its aspects.”

He himself specialised in industrial design and became in 1970 the Head of Industrial Design at Glasgow School of Art, where he was involved in the design of the first obstetric ultrasound scanners. He was subsequently Head of Design and then Director. He is also a former visiting professor of the University of Glasgow’s Department of Aerospace Engineering as well as at the University of Glasgow’s Department of Design, Manufacturing and Engineering Management. He has written many books on Scottish aviation history as well as on his other passion – steam engines.