William McMurray (engineer)

William McMurray (born 1927, died 2023) was a Scottish-born American electrical engineer best known for his pioneering work in the development of power electronics, particularly forced commutation circuits and resonant converters. He made significant contributions to the field of adjustable-speed drives and static power conversion.

McMurray received his B.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Glasgow in 1949 and 1953, respectively. After working in the United Kingdom, he emigrated to the United States and joined the General Electric Research Laboratory in Schenectady, New York, in 1956. He spent the majority of his career at GE, where he became a leading expert in power semiconductor applications.

McMurray's inventions and publications significantly advanced the understanding and implementation of thyristor-based inverters and converters. His self-commutated thyristor inverter circuit, often referred to as the "McMurray inverter," was a key innovation in the early development of variable-frequency drives for AC motors. He also made important contributions to the development of resonant inverters and soft-switching techniques, which improved the efficiency and reduced the switching losses in power electronic systems.

McMurray was a Life Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and received numerous awards for his contributions to power electronics, including the IEEE William E. Newell Power Electronics Award in 1986 and the IEEE Lamme Medal in 1995. His work has had a lasting impact on the design and application of power electronic converters in a wide range of industries, including transportation, manufacturing, and energy generation. He holds numerous patents for his inventions.