Professor McCormac studied at the Ulster Polytechnic and the University of Southampton graduating with a BSc in Physics and Geology (1980) and a PhD in Upper Atmosphere Physics (1984). As a postdoctoral fellow at the Space Physics Laboratory, University of Michigan, he conducted research on the NASA Dynamics Explorer Program. He was appointed to the research faculty at Michigan in 1987.
In 1990, he assumed the position of Director of the High-Precision Carbon Dating Facility at Queen’s University Belfast. He became Head of the School of Archaeology in 1997 and was appointed to the Royal Irish Academy, National Archaeology Committee in 1998. As Head of School he created the Centre for Archaeological Field Studies and secured funding for “The Chrono Centre”, a state-of-the-art environmental research facility. In 2000, he led the University team that won the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher Education.
He was appointed Pro-Vice-Chancellor in 2001. In this role he has had responsibility for: Academic Planning; Economic Development, and External Affairs. As Pro-Vice-Chancellor he has created international research and education links, worked closely with the Development Office on alumni engagement and fund raising, and led the academic and financial planning process within the University. He has also led the University’s engagement with both the business community and political representatives in Northern Ireland.
Professor McCormac is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, of the Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures and Commerce and the Higher Education Academy. He is a Board member of Invest Northern Ireland and Business in the Community. He serves on the Economic Development Forum for Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Committee of the Institute of Directors and is a Director on the University’s knowledge commercialisation company, Qubis.