[5] In 1973, he was appointed to a lectureship in sociology at Queen's University, Belfast and was Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences before he was named Pro-Vice-Chancellor in 1995.

[4] Cormack was a professor of sociology at Queen's University, Belfast during the troubles in Northern Ireland, which spanned the last three decades of the 20th century.

[4] In 2001, Cormack succeeded Professor Sir Alistair MacFarlane to be named Principal of the UHI Millennium Institute, which created the University of the Highlands and Islands.

[4][7] Under his leadership, UHI achieved taught degree awarding powers in 2008 and reached the final stages in the process for university title.

He received one of the first honorary fellowships awarded by the University of the Highlands and Islands, for his contribution to its realisation, from its first-ever Chancellor, HRH The Princess Royal, in 2012.