Doug Clyde
CLYDE, Douglas Howard (Doug), AM BSc (Eng) (Rand) PhD (Cantab) HonFIEAust CPEng FIPENZ (1931-)
Douglas was born in Pretoria, South Africa, on February 24, 1931, son of William Jack Clyde and Ida May Clyde (nee Howard). He attended Christian Brothers Colleges in Pretoria and Cape Town.
His first degree was at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, graduating Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering. He was awarded a scholarship to Cambridge University and was accepted as a member by Trinity College. He graduated PhD in 1957 with a thesis on Plasticity Theory applied to Rigid Jointed Structures.
Douglas married Barbara Noel Bayly in Witbank, Transvaal South Africa, on December 16, 1957: they have three children, Sarah Jane, Jessica Ann and Hamish John.
He was employed from 1957 to 1961 as an Assistant Engineer with F E Kanthack and Partners (later WLPU Associates), Johannesburg, South Africa, working on design and supervision of civil works on power stations and grain storage facilities.
His first academic appointment was as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Melbourne in 1962, then in 1966 he was appointed as an Associate Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Calgary, Alberta Canada.
He returned to Australia for him to take up a Senior Lectureship in Civil Engineering at the University of Sydney. They travelled on the “Oriana” and arrived in Sydney on February 7, 1969.
In 1971 he was appointed as a Professor of Civil Engineering at Queens University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada and this was followed in 1974 by taking up the position of the, then sole, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Western Australia. He retired in 1996 and is now an Emeritus Professor.
Other roles:
- Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic UWA 1987 to 1990
- Senior Associate Centre for Oil and Gas Engineering 2002
- Member UWA Senate 1985-1997
- Chair Professorial Board UWA 1985 1986
- Fellow IEAust 1979 (now Hon Fellow)
- Chairman IEAust Civil College Board 1985 to 1986
- Chairman IEAust Accreditation Board 1985-1989
- Vice President WA Division IEAust 1989 to 1992
- IEAust Councillor 1989 to 1993 and Deputy President 1993
- IEAust National President 1994
In October 1994, Doug as National President of IEAust participated in the unveiling of the Perth Wireless Station Historic Marker.
Biography by Chris Fitzhardinge, March 2026
