 Nyorai kuenderera mberi kwechikamu chino - Mushure menguva iyi, McDonald akabata nzvimbo dzinoverengeka dzedzidzo paPennsylvania State University uye Mississippi State asati agamuchira Interagency Personnel Kusarudzwa kuNASA kwaaive Director weCenter kuNASA Ames Research Laboratory kubva 1996 kusvika 2002. Mukati mokugara kwake paNASA, McDonald akatungamirira Aeromechanical Team kuongorora kweV-22 Osprey njodzi, achitaura kuMutevedzeri Wemunyori weDziviriro. Pakukumbira kwomutungamiriri weNASA, McDonald ipapo akatungamirira kuongorora chaiko kwetsaona dzomuchadenga dzechikepe uye ikoku kwakatangira njodzi yeSpace Shuttle Columbia. Kuongorora uku kwakaratidza zvakawanda zvezvinetso zvakarongwa zvakazotaurwa neColumbia Accident Investigation Board. Mukati mokutonga kwake McDonald akatangawo University Affiliated Research Center, NASA Research Park, uye Space Science uye Astrobiology Division. 