Mal McLaren is CEO of the McLaren Engineering Group, which he founded in 1977. He earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Cornell University and a master’s in structural engineering from Rutgers University. The McLaren Engineering Group grew from Mal’s passion for both structural engineering and scuba diving. He has worked on a wide range of projects: design of high-rise buildings and bridges; underwater inspection of piers and marine structures; and design of innovative stage sets for many of the world’s most famous music performers.
He is a current member of several professional societies, including The Moles, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and the National Society of Professional Engineers, among others. He is a Professional Engineer in 42 states. Mal serves on the civil engineering advisory boards of both Cornell and Rutgers. He conceived of and sponsors the Lower Hudson Valley Engineering Expo, an interactive event that focuses on junior and senior high school students regarding careers in engineering. He has been honored many times by numerous organizations, including as Engineer of the Year and Hero of New York Harbor.
The Malcolm G. McLaren Center for Ceramic Research (MGMCCR) was the first Advanced Technology Center of the New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology and is a National Science Foundation Industry/University Cooperative Research Center. It serves as a resource center in ceramic science and engineering for the state of New Jersey and member companies. The center is dedicated to developing advanced ceramic materials science and engineering and ensuring that emerging science and engineering technology is used for commercial and technological development in New Jersey and beyond. The center conducts research in a broad area of ceramic science, composites and optical materials engineering, and technology. It focuses on the synthesis of advanced materials with the microstructures and nanostructures needed to fulfill the property requirements as well as cost, shape, and reliability requirements of emerging applications.
The Malcolm G. McLaren Symposium is held annually as a gathering for the New York metro, Philadelphia metro, and New Jersey Ceramic Engineering communities, and concludes with the Malcolm G. McLaren Distinguished Lecture.