The 1979 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Allan McLeod Cormack for his contribution to the development of X-ray computed tomography, an achievement marked by the absence of a doctoral degree in his academic record. Born in Johannesburg in 1924, he operated across the fields of physics and biophysics throughout his career.
Academic Foundation
Cormack attended Rondebosch Boys' High School and St John's College before enrolling at the University of Cape Town. He earned his B.Sc. in physics in 1944 and an M.Sc. in crystallography the following year. His academic training continued at the University of Cambridge, where he was a doctoral student between 1947 and 1949.
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His career included lecturing positions at the University of Cape Town, where he also conducted research at Groote Schuur Hospital. After completing a sabbatical at Harvard University during the 1956–1957 period, he accepted a professorship at Tufts University in 1957. He became a naturalized United States citizen in 1966 while maintaining his original South African citizenship.
Mathematical Foundations of CT Scanning
While primarily focused on particle physics, Cormack pursued research into the theoretical principles of X-ray imaging beginning in 1956. He published his findings in the Journal of Applied Physics in 1963 and 1964. These calculations provided the framework that Godfrey Hounsfield later utilized to construct the first practical CT scanner in 1971.
Awards and Recognition
Beyond the 1979 Nobel Prize, Cormack received the National Medal of Science in 1990. He held memberships in the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Physical Society. In 2002, he was posthumously granted the Order of Mapungubwe in Gold for his contributions to science.
Fast facts
- Born: 1924, Johannesburg
- Died: 1998, Winchester
- Citizenship: South Africa, United States
- Primary Field: Physics
- Nobel Prize: 1979, Physiology or Medicine
- Key Employer: Tufts University
- National Medal of Science: 1990
- Posthumous Award: Order of Mapungubwe in Gold, 2002
Questions readers ask
Did Allan McLeod Cormack hold a PhD?
No, he achieved his scientific contributions without holding a doctoral degree in any scientific field.
What was his relationship with Godfrey Hounsfield?
Cormack and Hounsfield shared the 1979 Nobel Prize for their independent, non-collaborative work on computed tomography.
Achievements
- Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine — 1979
- National Medal of Science — 1990
- Held posts at Groote Schuur Hospital, Tufts University and University of Cambridge
- Educated at Rondebosch Boys' High School, St John's College and University of Cape Town
- Fields of research: physics
