At 18, McCormick traveled from his home village in England to Ghana, where he taught science and mathematics in a secondary school using the same textbooks he had studied himself. In classrooms filled with motivated and inquisitive students, he encountered a level of enthusiasm and intellectual curiosity that left a lasting impression.

“I was deeply impressed by the enthusiasm and excellence of the students I was teaching,” he recalls. “But I was also struck by the lack of opportunities available to them to pursue further education and achieve their goals and dreams.”

That contrast stayed with him. While McCormick went on to benefit from an outstanding education in the United Kingdom—earning his BS from the University of Birmingham and a PhD from the University of Cambridge—his time in Ghana revealed how much talent around the world remains under-supported. Over the decades, he has continued to invest in that potential, supporting the school where he once taught as well as programs that expand access to advanced training for West African students, including fellowships in the UK.

When he learned about the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s U.S.-Africa Frontiers of Science, Engineering, and Medicine program, he saw a natural extension of this long-standing commitment.

“I was delighted to make a contribution,” he says. “It aligns closely with what I’ve cared about for many years.”

The U.S.-Africa Frontiers program brings together outstanding early-career scientists, engineers, and medical professionals from the United States and African Union member countries to explore emerging advances in fields critical to global progress, including climate, energy, public health, and data science. Designed to spark collaboration at pivotal stages in participants’ careers, the program fosters lasting professional networks and supports new partnerships through ongoing engagement and seed funding opportunities.

For McCormick, the program reflects the kind of sustained, collaborative effort needed to ensure that scientific talent—wherever it is found—has the opportunity to contribute.

“New communication technologies and the global expansion of AI are creating unprecedented opportunities for scientists in less developed countries to engage in and shape the future of science and medicine,” he notes.

He also sees opportunities to remain engaged in the work ahead, reflecting his belief that advancing science is a shared, global endeavor.

“I was fortunate to receive an excellent education and to experience living in a less advantaged environment,” he says. “It helped me recognize how much others have to offer, and how much potential remains untapped. I hope my support encourages others to do the same.”