Charles Rotimi is a researcher who studies the etiology of complex diseases and health disparities and advocates for the inclusion of greater racial and ethnic diversity in genomic repositories. In the early 2000s, Rotimi spearheaded the recruiting of African communities for participation in the International HapMap Project. As director of the Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health, or CRGGH, at the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, Rotimi led governmental research on human genetic variation and patterns of disease. Rotimi is a founding member of the Human Heredity and Health in Africa, or H3Africa, initiative, which aims to increase the representation of African populations in global genetic studies. Through his epidemiological research, leadership in advocacy groups for the support of African scientists, and his collaboration in genomic diversity initiatives, Rotimi promotes racial and ethnic representation in genetic research, especially regarding the inclusion of African people and the African diaspora.