John McCormack

John McCormack serves as Professor of Biology and Director and Curator of the Moore Laboratory of Zoology at Occidental College. Appointed in 2011, he leads one of the most significant ornithological collections in North America, housing the world's largest Mexican bird collection. His academic journey began with a B.S. from the University of Arizona, followed by a Ph.D. from UCLA.

McCormack's research focuses on evolutionary biology, particularly using museum specimens and genomic approaches to study avian evolution. His work examines how both ancient landscape changes and recent human-caused environmental shifts affect birds' distributions, appearance, and DNA. He has pioneered methods for extracting genomic data from historical museum specimens, transforming these collections into valuable genomic resources. His research spans phylogenetics, comparative phylogeography, speciation, and biodiversity conservation, with fieldwork concentrated in Mesoamerican highlands and the Mexican transition zone.

His recent publications demonstrate a strong emphasis on museum genomics, with innovative work in 3D digitization of specimens, extraction methods for historical DNA, and using genomic data to understand speciation processes. The articles reveal consistent focus on avian evolutionary history, hybrid zones, and the application of next-generation sequencing to phylogeographic questions, particularly in jays, wood-partridges, and other Mesoamerican bird species.

McCormack has secured significant NSF funding for his research, including the CAREER award for integrating undergraduate research with museum genomics, and grants for digitizing the world's largest Mexican bird collection and developing 3D photogrammetry techniques for museum specimens.

As Director of the Moore Laboratory of Zoology, he champions the critical role of natural history collections in addressing the biodiversity crisis. His leadership extends to serving as Regional representative-at-large for the Natural Science Collections Alliance. He actively engages with the public through op-eds in the L.A. Times, a Scientific American video interview, and social media platforms where he shares insights about birds, museums, and genomics.