France Córdova | |
|---|---|
 Córdova in 2017 | |
| 14th Director of theNational Science Foundation | |
| In office March 31, 2014 – March 31, 2020 | |
| President | Barack Obama Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Subra Suresh |
| Succeeded by | Kelvin Droegemeier (acting) Sethuraman Panchanathan |
| 11thPresident of the Purdue University System | |
| In office July 16, 2007 – June 30, 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Martin C. Jischke |
| Succeeded by | Timothy Sands (acting) Mitch Daniels |
| 7th Chancellor of theUniversity of California, Riverside | |
| In office July 1, 2002 – July 1, 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Raymond L. Orbach |
| Succeeded by | Timothy P. White |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1947-08-05)August 5, 1947 (age 78) |
| Spouse | Christian Foster |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Stanford University (BA) California Institute of Technology (MS,PhD) |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | National Science Foundation Purdue University University of California, Riverside University of California, Santa Barbara Pennsylvania State University Los Alamos National Laboratory NASA |
| Thesis | X-ray observations of dwarf novae (1979) |
| Doctoral advisor | Gordon Garmire |
France Anne-Dominic Córdova (born August 5, 1947) is an Americanastrophysicist. She served as the 11th president ofPurdue University from 2007 to 2012 and as the 14th director of theNational Science Foundation from 2014 to 2020. She currently serves as the president of the Science Philanthropy Alliance.[1]
Córdova was born inParis,France, the eldest of twelve children. Her mother wasIrish-American and her father was aMexican-AmericanWest Point graduate and businessman.[2][3] She attended high school atBishop Amat High School inLa Puente, California, east ofLos Angeles and went on toStanford University, where she graduatedcum laude with a bachelor's degree inEnglish and conducted anthropological field work in aZapotec Indianpueblo inOaxaca,Mexico. She earned aPhD inPhysics from theCalifornia Institute of Technology in 1979.[4]
Córdova worked at the Space Astronomy and Astrophysics Group at theLos Alamos National Laboratory from 1979 to 1989, where she also served as Deputy Group Leader. She headed the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics atPennsylvania State University from 1989 to 1993. In 1993, Córdova became aNASA Chief Scientist.[5]
Córdova then went to theUniversity of California, Santa Barbara where she was Vice-Chancellor for Research and a Professor of Physics. In 2002 she was appointedChancellor of theUniversity of California, Riverside, where she was also a Distinguished Professor of Physics and Astronomy. Córdova led the initial steps toward establishing theUC Riverside School of Medicine.[6]
Córdova became the eleventh president ofPurdue University in 2007 and promoted student success and the commercialization of interdisciplinary research.[7] She is the first and only woman to serve in this role.[8] Her administration oversaw the establishment of Purdue'sCollege of Health and Human Sciences and its Global Policy Research Institute.[9][10] At the end of her term, Purdue's trustees credited her with leading the school to record levels of research funding, reputational rankings, and student retention rates.[11]
Córdova's scientific career contributions have been in the areas of observational and experimentalastrophysics, multi-spectral research onx-ray andgamma ray sources, and space-borne instrumentation. She has published more than 150 scientific papers, most recently in 2007. In September 2007, she was appointed to the board of directors of BioCrossroads,Indiana's initiative to grow thelife sciences through a public-private collaboration that supports the region's research and corporate strengths while encouraging newbusiness development.
American presidentBarack Obama appointed Córdova to the Board of Regents of theSmithsonian Institution in 2009, and she served until 2014.[12] She was chair of the Board of Regents from 2012 to 2014.
In 2014, Córdova was nominated by Obama and confirmed by theUnited States Senate as the 14th head of theNational Science Foundation.[13]
After her retirement from NSF, Córdova was elected to the Caltech Board of Trustees in June 2020.[14] In May 2021, she was also named as President of the Science Philanthropy Alliance.[15]
Córdova is married to science educator Christian J. Foster, with whom she has two children, Anne-Catherine and Stephen.[16] One of her hobbies is rock climbing, a hobby where she met her husband.[17] In a Physics Today article she talks about how she turned down an offer from her advisor to be nominated as an astronaut, preferring instead to focus on research.[18] In an interview with the American Institute of Physics, she describes her career decisions and life path in greater detail. She said that being a physicist influenced her leadership style, that she is optimistic about the future and that one never knows when they will use the knowledge they learn.[19]
In 1996, she received NASA's highest honor, theNASA Distinguished Service Medal. She was recognized as a 2000Kilby Laureate, for "contributions to society through science, technology, innovation, invention, and education."[20] She was named one of the 80 Elite Hispanic Women byHispanic Business Magazine in 2002. In 2008, Córdova was nominated to the Stanford University Multicultural Alumni Hall of Fame by El Centro Chicano, Stanford's Chicano and Latino organization. She was appointed by PresidentGeorge W. Bush to theNational Science Board in 2008. In 2012, she received the Women in Space Science Award from theAdler Planetarium.[21]
Purdue University's France A. Córdova Recreational Sports Center was named for her in 2012. A 98-million-dollar renovation of the 55-year-old facility was approved during her presidency.[22] The building was one of 10 recreation facilities to receive a Facility of Merit Award for 2014 from Athletic Business.[23]
Córdova is a fellow of theAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), theAssociation for Women in Science (AWIS), and theAmerican Academy of Arts and Sciences, and is a National Associate of the National Academies. She is an honorary member of theRoyal Irish Academy.[24]
Córdova has received multiple honorary doctorates, including from (chronologically):
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of July 2025 (link)
| Academic offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | 7th Chancellor of theUniversity of California, Riverside 2002–2007 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | 11thPresident of the Purdue University System 2007–2012 | Succeeded by |
| Government offices | ||
| Preceded by | 14th Director of theNational Science Foundation 2014–2020 | Succeeded by |
