View source for Alex Smith (engineer)

{{Short description|Scottish industrial scientist and educator}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
'''Sir Alex Smith''' (15 October 1922 – 28 February 2003) was a [[Scotland|Scottish]] [[industrial scientist]] and [[educator]]. Born in [[Lossiemouth]], [[Moray]], he was educated at Lossiemouth, [[Elgin Academy, Scotland|Elgin Academy]] and, following the winning of a [[scholarship]], [[Aberdeen University]].

The [[Second World War]] interrupted his university years, but he returned to Aberdeen after serving the war years in the [[Royal Navy]]. After graduation, he went to work for [[Rolls-Royce Limited|Rolls-Royce]], where he worked his way up to Head of Advanced Research and played a major part in the development of the [[RB211]] aircraft engine.

On leaving Rolls-Royce, Smith took up the challenge of creating [[Manchester Metropolitan University|Manchester Polytechnic]], which eventually become Manchester's largest university, [[Manchester Metropolitan University|Manchester Metropolitan]]. He was immensely proud of his achievements as Polytechnic's first director.

He died in [[Alderley Edge]], [[Cheshire]], [[England]] at the age of 80. His autobiography Lock up The Swings on Sundays was published by The Memoir Club.

==External links==
*[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article1129033.ece Obituary in the ''Times Online'']{{dead link|date=January 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

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[[Category:1922 births]]
[[Category:2003 deaths]]
[[Category:Royal Navy sailors]]
[[Category:People from Lossiemouth]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Aberdeen]]
[[Category:People associated with Manchester Metropolitan University]]
[[Category:Scottish aerospace engineers]]
[[Category:20th-century Scottish businesspeople]]
[[Category:Scottish physicists]]
[[Category:Scottish scholars and academics]]
[[Category:Royal Navy personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:20th-century Scottish engineers]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Moray]]


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